where do we go from here 18: free
by zantha19
Summary: Toph's true power will be unleashed, as Ozai uses her to help him reagin his bending. this power if uncontroled could be come a distractive force. Aang will have to chose what is most important to him.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey. If you have stayed with the story for all this time, then thank you very much. I hope that you liked it. As I said in the last chapter of the last part, this is the part with the action climax. I hope that is will be a climax and not an anti-climax. **

**I'm a Lover not a Hater. Thank you very much for answering the questions. It really helps to know the things that work in the story. I always find things that are wrong with it, but find it hard to find the good. I guess I am just a negative person. Thanks again.**

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The moon was hidden by the clouds, like dark cloak. As a real dark cloak hid a figure that made its way across the court yard of the fire nation palace. Once they reached their destination, the cells at the far end of the court yard. They pulled the hood down from the head. With a deep sigh they enter, and walked along the long corridor. Only one cell was occupied, that was the ultimate distinction of the figure.

The occupant of the small cell slowly lifted their head to look at the person that was now facing them. Looking at them through the bars of the cell. "I knew you would come."

Katara didn't dare look at her father in law as she spoke. "I only came to tell you that you are being transported tomorrow. You will leave without ever seeing your son or grandchildren." Her words were strong, and clear, but underneath them was a level of fear. She had never been face to face with Ozai before.

That morning one of the guards that watched the former fire lord had taken a note from him to Katara. It had asked that she please let him see his grandchildren. That he wanted to be a part of their family. Her mothering instincts had stopped her from telling Zuko, and stopped her from letting him anywhere near her children, but it had also lead her to see him now in secret in the middle of the night.

An evil laugh filled the small room divvied in two by bars. "You think I honestly care anything for my son and his half bas..."

"Then what do you want, what is this all this about." She was normally very controlled, calm but he had crossed the line. Her voice echoed in the small area. No one said anything disparaging about her children, not will she was within hearing distance. Not if they wanted to live a long life, with all limbs intact. In this area she could be as quick tempered as either her husband the firebender or Toph.

Ozai now pulled himself up to his full height. "I want my bending returned to me. I want what is rightfully mine."

Katara took a step back towards the door, but she couldn't make herself leave. Her family would have told her not to have come here. Which was why she very told them. Now she was here the least should could do for them was to find out all she could from him about what he was planning. "How do you plan on doing that." Her voice was shaky, she couldn't hide it. "There is no way on this earth, in a million lifetimes that Aang…."

"I know you precious avatar will not help me." A cold grin spread across his face. "The power of the avatar is split into two parts as it is so powerful. The other half in known as the fated spite. This person is bound to the avatar. There is something special about this fated spirit. They have the power to bend all four elements if they unlock that power. They can, they will give me back my bending."

This was the first time that she had ever heard anything about any of this. In a way it did make sense, but they look in his eyes scared her. This was a man that had been so consumed by power that he turn on his own flesh and blood. She felt deeply sorry for the person that he was talking about.

"I, like me brother have a connection to the spirit world, Koh. We believe that you my dear, are that spirit. The avatars love you more than any other."

Her legs now finally allowed her to more, but her exit was blocked. A guard passed the entrance of the cell block on his patrol. She saw him stop by the door, knowing he would wait at that point for ten minutes before moving on to the next point in his patrol. She was trapped, she couldn't let him see her. "You are wrong." The words just slipped out. There were her only weapon against him. Feeling vulnerable she used her weapon to much. "Aang loves To..." She was just able to catch herself from saying more.

"Please keep going. I'm very interested" Ozai was now leaning on the bars that separated them. "You re stuck here for ten minutes. That is if he is a well-trained guard. Might as well pass the time getting to know each other. We are family after all. "

Katara slumped against the wall behind her. She didn't see any choice. There was no water source nearby. All she could do was use her worlds to fight him. After all he was stuck in here what harm could be do. He would never see the light of day as a free man till the day he died. Zuko, herself and the extended family would make sure of that. "Aang loves Toph. More than anyone, or anything on this or any other world. She is the strong..."

"Yes I know who she is. The grand master earthbender. She even almost became the fire lady before you did she not." Katara had started to grow in confidence as she spoke. Almost taunting him. He with only a few words drained all that confidence from her. "A very interesting person miss Bei Fong."

"That's not her name, she is..." Again Katara blurted something put without thinking, but was able to catch herself at the last minute.

Ozai now moved back away from the bars, and leaned against the wall parallel to Katara. "Don't worry. I already know about the wedding. I just needed to know if he loved her that much." Once he finished speaking he gestured the door, the guard was gone.

The second she saw the unguarded door, Katara let out a deep breath. Though it had been her own will to not be found here that trapped her, she still felt like she could breathe again. Pushing off the wall she slight ran down the corridor, through the door and back into the palace. She was sure that, she had heard Ozai say something as she left, but she couldn't hear him. Whatever it was she didn't want to know, she just wanted to put as much space between him and her as she could.

As the cold night air felt her a deep feeling of sympathy washed over her. She had face many dangers in her life and she had faced them all head on, very backing down. There was something about that man, like he could read you. The whole world just seemed to shrink around him. The air got thinner. How could her husband have turned out as he did with a father like that. She also felt herself feeling sympathy for Azula. It know made perfect sense who she had turned out so damaged. It only proved how strong Zuko was that he had not be as damaged by his father's toxic influence.

A few minute later, as she lay down in her bed next to Zuko, a horrible feeling of guilty washed over her. It felt like she had sold her friends out, to save herself. Deep down she knew it's wasn't like that, but the guilt just didn't go away. In the back of her mind was the thought, that she had helped to set something in motion that couldn't be stopped.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a slightly uncomfortably warm night. A fact that kept both the avatar and his wife from falling to sleep for what felt like a long time. After kicking off the blanket keeping only the thin white sheet over them, they were able to sleep. After only a few hours Aang was woken by an almost silent yell, and Toph almost sitting up in the bed next to him. When his eyes were able to focus a little better he saw Toph as she turned to face away from him. Pulling the white sheet around her even more despite the heat.

"Are you ok." As he spoke he turned to face the window, as she was doing. He carefully wrapped his right arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. The heat had kept them at a distance from each other out of necessity to get some sleep. Now however it was a necessity for him to comfort her in some way.

"Just a dream."

She tried to pull away from him, because she knew he wasn't going to let it go. She also needed to get some space, the tightly pulled sheet and his presence added to the heat was not very present when you wanted to fall back to sleep as quickly as possible. She however was on the edge of the bed already, so there was nowhere for her to go.

Once they had been married Aang quickly learned that Toph suffered from nightmares, she also on a few occlusions had dreams that in a way became reality. The night before she had first meet Aang at the earth rumble, Toph had a dream. She was in cage, but after what seemed like an eternity of being trapped in the cage, a strong gust of wind came and blow it away. Setting her free. The night before the final battle, she had the only dream where she was able to see. She was falling through the air towards the earth. It was getting closer, and she couldn't take her eyes off it long enough to soften the ground below her. The dream ended when everything went black again, as she hit the earth. There was nothing that he could do to help her. She tossed and turned so he just wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. He did that now knowing that did little good. Aang had noticed that Toph was having these nightmares more often recently, and it worried him

"Tell me about it." He had to be careful how he approached the issues or Toph wouldn't tell him anything.

Toph now moved her right hand to hold onto Aang's that was placed around her. "I was standing on the top…..of this tall hill. I could see. I saw for miles. Villages, lakes everything. It was beautiful." Aang held her a little closer "I was so happy. Then everything started to shake. I tried to stop it but... everything ...it went up in flames. The flames didn't reach me, but I heard people screaming."

This dream was similar to ones Aang had, had when he was younger. It killed him that Toph would have to see that too, that maybe one of the only things she has seen, through her dreams was something like that. Something filled with pain and confusion. He pulled her a light closer.

"I wanted to move, but I couldn't. I got so angry. Then this huge wind stared to blow...it just made the fire worse. I started to cry." Her voice was now really starting to crack. Despite the laugh she tried t force at her crying. Aang kissed her on her bear shoulder, to let her know she didn't have to go on if she didn't want to, but she kept going. "The wave covered everything, it was all around me. It was. Just me and this endless darkness."

Aang gentle pulled back, turning Toph over to face him. When he finally saw her face, he saw a single tear running down her check. Placing his right hand to her face he wiped it away. Her eyes seemed to have a strange green glow to them, but it was the fear in them that Aang was worried about.

"It's ok, it was just a dream." He now pulled her into a hug. "I'm here, I won't leave you alone I promise."

Toph wanted to pull away, yell at him. He didn't get it, he never did. To him they were just stupid dreams, but she knew there was more to it than that. At least he was trying, that was all she could ask for. If she didn't fully understand about the dreams, then how could she expect Aang to. That would be rather hypocritical of her.

In truth Aang did have an idea about what the dream meant, but it scared him too much to even voice it. He had wanted to tell Toph, about everything he had learned from avatar Roku. There just didn't ever seem to be the right time. When he had first found out there was the possibility that Toph may be pregnant again. That had been the only thing on ether of their minds. Once it was confirmed that she wasn't pregnant, all he wanted to do was focus on the future.

Telling Toph that she was a reincarnation, and had the potential to be more powerful than he was, was just going to bring up things that they could live without at the time. The longer he put it off, the harder it was to tell her. She had lived her life so far without knowing. What good would telling her now do. They were just staring to get their life back on track, the last thing he wanted to do was mess that up. The only time that she would ever need to know about any of this was if something threated them that he wasn't strong enough to deal with on his own, or with her help as she was. Which was already pretty powerful. He couldn't think about that, about there being something that he couldn't protect her from

As the back of his mind, Aang had the horrible certain knowledge that ignoring the issue wasn't going to make it go away. It could even in the long run make it worse. Then he would look at Toph. She would being smiling, or just seemed to be happy, content. The way she has been before the miscarriage. He couldn't tell her, he never wanted to be the one to take that smile off her face, not again.

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**Thank you for reading. As always I really hope that you liked the chapter and will also keep enjoying the story as it goes on. I would very much appreciate any comments or feedback that you have to give. Thanks. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello thank you for reading, I hope that you enjoy this new chapter.**

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It had now been two months since Katara had been to see her father in law in the cells of the fire nation palace. She had still not spoken a word of this to anyone. It was now Iroh, Katara and Zuko's sons first birthday. They still couldn't believe he was already a year old, and Kya was almost three. Zuko had wanted the occasion to be a family event, so instead of a huge celebration, they were just going to have a picnic in the forest next to the palace with their family.

Oazi had been moved to a different location, under constant guard just move a month ago. This helped Katara to push her secret from her mind. There seemed little point in telling anyone about it now. What could he do to them from miles away. She and Zuko would do whatever it took to stop him if he ever tried to come after them and their children. Aang and Toph lived hundreds of miles away. They were also more than capable of taking take of themselves. He couldn't hurt them. She had worried when she heard Zuko's plans for their son's birthday. Again what could he do, with no bending and with the six of them together. He didn't stand a chance.

Sokka and Suki had arrived the day before the picnic, as they had to travel the longest way to get there. Their two sons Suten was almost five, and Huyu was a month away from turning four. They were not looking forward to the picnic. They found their aunt and uncle very boring, they found all adults boring. With the occasional exception of Aang and Toph. Their younger cousins were also no fun, being a girl and a baby respectively.

No one really expected Aang and Toph to come. After everything they had been through over the last year. No one would blame them for not coming. So it was a big surprise when they turned up on Appa, at mid-day. The second Appa landed, and Toph and Aang touched down on solid ground they were surrounded by two very energetic nephews. Suten jumped up at Toph, she took hold of him by his waist and balanced on him on her hip. He was getting bigger, making this harder for her to keep up for long.

"Aunt Toph, we didn't think you were coming." As he spoke the fire year old was playing with her hair.

"I wouldn't miss this for all the..."

"Earth in the earth kingdom." Suten finished for her.

Toph held the boy tighter with her right hand, as she lifted her left hand up to shoulder level, with her hand clenched. Suten hit her hand with his. Both of the brothers looked up to Toph. As they lived in the earth kingdom they wanted to be earthbenders just like her. Neither had shown any early signs of being able to bend ether earth or water. Toph knew that Huyu had no real connection to earth, so there was like chance he would be an earthbender, but Suten had a chance. She didn't tell anyone this. She felt bending was something that was meant to happen naturally. Not something to be forced.

"What about me." Huyu was now standing in front of Toph, forcing a clenched fist at her. To which she hit. This was what the boys had found out was used as a greeting in the earth kingdom military, and as Toph was a general they felt they should greet her like this.

"Come on you two, give Toph some room." Suki now made her way towards the newcomers. The others hadn't moved. They were shocked to see Toph, she didn't look as weak as they thought she would, but they didn't know how she was going to act.

Toph lowered Suten to the ground. "I may not be able to see your faces, but I know you are all giving me a poor sick girl look. Don't, I'm fine."

Aang, who had remained silent, had to stop himself from laughing. Moving next to her he placed her arm around her shoulder. Showing how proud he was of how strong she was being. After Toph had spoken everyone seemed to let out a sigh of relief at the same moment.

"We are so go glad you came." Katara made her way to Toph, once she reached her she pulled her into a tight hug "Thank you." She whispered into the younger women's ear. It meant so much to her to have everyone here with her for her son's birthday. Suki didn't like feeling left out, so she joined the hug too.

While the three girls hugged Aang made his way over to Zuko who was holding baby Honro in his arms. "He has Katara's eyes."

"Yeah he does." He couldn't help how proud and happy he sounded. "How is she." Zuko turned to look from his baby son to Toph. Who was now bending the earth to create an area for the children to play in.

Aang caught a glimpse of her, as she smiled a faint smile. "You know Toph." That was enough of an answer for people who knew Toph well enough.

"Sokka, you are too big to fit..."

"Get me out of here!"

All eyes where know on Sokka, who had tried to crawl through a tunnel Toph had bent, and got stuck. It took Toph a good ten minutes to get him out, due to her inability to stop laughing long enough to concentrate. Once he was freed the adults sat around the blanket, and had lunch. At first they did so in silence, occasional laughing under their breath at Sokka's latest mishap. Toph wasn't too hungry, so she found herself holding baby Iroh, who kept pulling her hair.

Katara was watching her out of the corner of her eye, so was Aang. It wasn't that Katara didn't trust Toph. She was just worried about her friend. She seemed to be dealing with everything, better than Katara had expected any one could. Better she would in her situation. Aang noticed her face change; she was focusing on something that she could feel through the earth. A look of disappointment now crossed her face before she spoke.

"We are about to be attacked. They are coming east and will be hear in the next few minutes six of them."

Ever one got to their feet in as quickly as they could. Knocking over most of the food and drink in the process. No one said anything else. They didn't want to scare the children. Toph handed Iroh back to his mother. Suki gathered the rest of the children back to the blanket. Doing her best not show how worried she was. Her first instinct like Katara's had been to pick up her children and run. Get them out of danger. It was best to keep calm, not worry them. So she fought back her fear

Zuko was the first to speak. "Aang and I will deal with them. You all take the kids back to the palace." Sokka and Suki didn't have to be told twice.

Katara kissed Zuko on the left check. "Be careful" then she left.

She hated leaving him. But with her baby son in her arms, and her daughters hand being tightly held in hers. All she wanted to do was run. Run and keep them safe. Protect them. That was what was motivating Zuko too she knew. He was just showing it in a different way.

Toph hadn't moved since she handed Katara the baby, she was now turning to face the direction the attackers were coming from, taking a fighting stanch.

"Toph, I told you to go with them."

"You wouldn't know they were coming if it wasn't for me. I am staying."

It was too late to argue any more, they could now see the men approaching. All three bender took up their stanchs. Two thought they saw someone they recognised in the group approaching, but didn't believe it could be who they thought it was, the third new exactly who it was.

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**Thank you for reading. If you have any comments I would love to hear what you have to say. Thank you. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry that it has been a little longer for me to up-date. I hope that you like it.**

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"Toph, how many people can you bonebend at the onetime."

This was the first time Zuko had made any comment about bonebending at all, it took Toph by surprise. Aang turned to look at his wife, to see what her reaction was going to be, she hated having to use bonebending, and never talked about it herself. He saw her let out the breath that had caught in her throat when Zuko asked his question.

"That is a last resort. We have the fire lord and the avatar here, we can take them."

Both of the male benders noticed the slight smile that was now on Toph's face. That smile worried Aang. From her that kind of smile only meant one thing. This was going to be the first real bending she had done in a long while. He knew how much she pushed herself, she was going to do the same here to let him know that she was fine, to stop people worrying about her.

Before Zuko or Aang could say anything more, Toph bend a circular wall of earth about ten feet around them. "Mud wall, without the mud."

She was talking to Aang. In the time they had travelled together they had come up with a number of bending moves, mud wall was just one. A few seconds later, the wall started to spin round. Once the six attackers where close enough, spikes appeared around the cylinder. The spikes where then sent out, forcing the attackers back.

Zuko had planned their next move. "Shield Toph." Aang knew what he was planning. He wrapped one arm around Toph's shoulder, pulling her down to a kneeling position with him, then bent a consent stream of air around himself and Toph. Zuko bent a stream of fire that filled up the whole cylinder, and was sent out the holes that had been left by the spikes. When the cylinder was clear Aang dropped the air shield.

"Good thinking sparky."

"How many are left" Aang was addressing Toph.

Toph was silent for a second while she concentrated "Two out, one disappeared and three left. One each. No need for sharing." The evil grin was now present on her face, but it was too dark for anyone to see it clearly.

As Aang brought the cylinder down, they all tried to forget about the one that got away. Zuko took his opponent down with little effort, a fire ball to the chest and he was down. Aang was having a harder time with his fight, as he wasn't giving it his full attention. He was watching Toph from the corner of his eye the whole time. Every time she was almost hit, he almost ran to her. If she knew what he was doing, she would kill him herself, when she had finished with that guy, so he had to focus.

The attacker Toph was fighting was a non-bender. She had a horrible affinity for ending up fighting the non-benders. He had now pulled out his sword, in an attempt to intimidate her. Which if she could see it may have done. Toph was bending a stream of dust from her hand, blocking his attacks as best as she could. If she was honest with herself she would admit that she as tired. Her right shoulder ached from the constant movement and strain she was putting on it to maintain the stream of dust. She was rustier that she had taught.

When Aang caught sight of this, the memories of when Toph had been stabbed ran sharply through his mind. He lost control back then, but now he was only just able to hold himself back. She really would kill him if he lost it again. In one quick move he sent a wall of fire at his opponent knocking him into a tree a few feet behind him. Now that he had ended his fight he ran towards Toph. He sent an air swipe in-between the two of them. The attacker was knocked out and Toph was knocked to the ground.

Aang quickly ran to her side to help her up. She leaned on her right arm to push her up. Aang when he reached her took hold of her left arm to pull her. As he was about to pull her into his arms. A gesture he knew she would not be that grateful for, but would return anyway, he saw a patch of red blood forming on her right side. The red stood out on the yellow embroider Top she was wearing over a short sleeved white cross over top. He froze, his mouth half open. The words not again running through his head.

Zuko now joined them to see what was going on. Something was clearly not right. Aang had frozen to the spot and Toph looked unsteady on her feet, like she might fall back onto the ground any second. The first then he saw when he looked at Toph, wasn't the blood, but the make-shift dagger she held in her right hand. It had been made from the bracelet she had been wearing, when her opponent had gotten closer than she liked. She was not a close rang fighter. Preferring to keep people, in general at a distance. He then saw the growing patch of blood, and figured that she must have fallen onto it when she was knocked to the ground by the air swipe.

The ground that was normally so steady under her feet and her control seemed to be spinning. It didn't feel like a serious injury, but as the blood slowly seeped from it, she felt he energy going with it. As her knees buckled a little, Zuko caught her and helped her stay on her feet. He gave Aang a look of disappointment. It wasn't till Toph was back on her feet, and had dropped the dagger to the ground that Aang pieced together what had happened. He had done it again. She had gotten hurt because of him.

"Toph, I am so sorry..." He whispered.

"Isn't this touching." A louder voice broke the tension. "She really dose suffer because of you doesn't she."

The voice came from behind them. Where they had all been ignoring for a few minutes. The two males turned around to see who was there. Thou there was no really reason, they all recognised the voice all to well.

"Yet she will never be able to be free from you. She is bound to you. That is what fated spirits are meant to..."

"What are you doing here." Zuko was the first to regain his voice. Though it came out through gritted teeth. Toph could feel his heart racing as he stood facing his father. She also felt his hold on her waist to keep her standing tighten.

"I still have supports that wish to see the fire nation regain its former glory. For that I need my bending returned to me." Oazi's amber eyes where now focused on Aang.

"I will never..."

He was silenced by Oazi's laugh "I know you would never do that." His eyes where now looking Toph over. "But her on the other hand." If she had been able to see the look he gave her she would have killed him for looking at her like that. Like her father had done, like she was a helpless doll that he could control.

Aang was still in a rage from what had just happened, this made him even more protective of Toph. She was not going to be hurt because of him again. He stepped in front of her, taking a stanch for the most powerful attack he knew "Stay away from her."

Oazi kept laughing under his breath. "Or what, you will kill me. Do you have it in you this time."

Toph didn't understand what they were talking about, but she could feel their heart beats. Something that was clearly important was going on, that she had been kept out of. The fact that it clearly involved her and she had been kept out of it annoyed her. This annoyance was cancelled out as she was worried for her husband and friend. This was obviously as a more important deal for them than it was for her.

"No! He want kill you. He is too good for that. But I have no real morals, or problems with killing someone like you." she had now moved out of Zuko's supportive hold to stand at Aang's side. Now feeling more steady on her feet.

"You haven't changed. That is just going to make this all the more fun."

He pulled a small box out the sleeve of his robe, and threw it towards the three benders. Zuko guessed what was in the box. "Duck" He ducked and covered his head with his hands. Aang pulled Toph to the ground, shielding her with his body as best as he could. Two seconds later the area around them was covered in smoke. When it cleared, and they were on their feet again Oazi was gone.

Aang pulled Toph into a hug. "Are you ok, how is your cut." His words bleed into one another.

Toph let her husband hug her, but she didn't hug him back. "It's just a scratch." He now pulled away, still with his hands on her shoulders "We have more important things to talk about." With that she walked away, followed by Zuko.

This was what he had been dreading, her finding out from someone else. He wasn't sure how much she had really picked up on from what had just been said. He was hopeful for a second before he realised that this was Toph, she could read people, and situations better than anyone. He was going to have to tell her everything, if only to keep her safe.

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**I am sorry, I know that wasn't that good of a fight. I am really not very good at writing fights. I don't know what move Aang was going to make at the end that's why I didn't say what he was planning, I hope that worked ok. I also need a way to get Oazi away, he really just had to come back here to get Aang to have to tell Toph what is going on. I think the smoke boom works at least I hope it did. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey. Thank you for reading. I hope that you like the story so far and will enjoy the rest of it.**

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The room was in silence, the sun was setting and with it the warmth of the day was replaced with a cool breeze. Toph was sitting on a table in the centre of the den room that lead out onto the gardens of the palace, while Katara healed her cut. She had insisted on healing the slightly self-inflicted cut, even thou it was a rather small one. She did this because she felt like all of this was her fault. Zuko was leaning on the back of a chair facing Toph as his wife finished healing the cut. A million thoughts went through his head. Aang couldn't bring himself to look at Toph. He kept his eyes on the floor, as he leaned against the wall by this still open door out to the garden. He was going to have to tell her what he knew, and she was going to hate him for keeping it from her.

"Okay, so what is going on."

Sokka now entered the room. Gently closed the door behind him. Something told him this was going to be a very long and very heated conversation. He and Suki had just put the children to sleep, as it was starting to get late. He stopped in the centre of the room. His eyes roaming over everything sitting or standing in silence.

After a short silence Zuko finally spoke up to answer his brother in law. "What about Suki, we should wait for her"

"She wants to watch the kids, I'll fill her in." There was a harsh tone to his voice. One that let everyone know that he was not going to rest till he got an answer. His eyes stopped roaming the room and now focused on solely on Aang. "So what is this about." Like Zuko he worried about Toph, and he erratically blamed Aang for most of what was going on.

Even thou she couldn't see, Toph could tell that Sokka was directing his anger at Aang. Who was slummed against the wall at the other end of the room. She had not really be focusing on what was going on around her since they got back to the palace. Now the world started to come into focus again.

"Stop it Sokka, it's not his fault. It's no one's..."

"It's mine."

Katara turned away from Toph, after she spoke. She couldn't look at her or Aang. Behind her she hear the sound of Zuko starting to get up from his chair, so she went on. "I got a letter from a guard. It was from him. He said he wanted to see his grandchildren, to be a part of the family again...I went to see him...and he….he just wanted his bending back."

"You went to see him." Zuko took a step towards his wife. All Katara could do was nodded "But why didn't you tell me."

"Zuko leave her along. She didn't tell you because she didn't what to hurt you." Toph was still sitting on the table. She had remained calm throughout the whole thing. There was a lot that she still didn't understand, but as far as she knew there was no one to blame. She also didn't like the impression that she had, that everyone was talking about her, without talking to her.

"Toph I'm sorry." Katara turned to face her friend again. "I told him Aang loved you more than..."

"Anything is this world." An unused voice said. "And that made him realise...you are the fated spirit."

This was the first thing Aang had said since they returned to the palace. It was Toph sitting there defending him and Katara, when as he saw it, they had just put her in real danger that made him speak up. He just couldn't stand to hear her defend him. Not when he had lied to her for so long.

Sokka now moved towards Aang. "And what is a fated spirit, and what does that have to do with Toph and him getting his bending back."

Picking up on Aang's discomfort Zuko step in between the two men. "We don't have to worry about that yet. We just have to find him and stop him before he has a chance to..."

"I want to hear what he has to say." Toph had now pushed herself off the table, and was walking towards Aang. "What am I."

Aang couldn't look her in the face, even thou she was now standing just a few feet in front of him. He kept his eyes from her. "The other half of the avatar spirit. It's too powerful, so it is split in two. The other half is the fated spirit. They are the human side of the power." He now finally looked his wife I the eye. Putting a human face to all he said. "You are different. You also have part of the avatar sprit as well, so that you would be able to help me more"

Everything he said, every words that left his mouth was true, and yet it didn't feel true. Toph knew that she had to remain controlled, and calm. She couldn't afford to fall apart now. Not with everyone watching her. She felt all of their eyes on her.

"How long have you known." When he didn't answer right away a horrible thought crossed her mind. "Did you always know. Is that why you tracked me down to help you…is it why you came back." In a much quieter voice she added. "Am I only meant to help you, is that all..."

"No!" he moved towards her. Arms outstretched to take hold of her shoulders. "It's not like that, we are connected..."

"How long have you known." She quickly stepped back away from her before he could make contact.

Everyone was waiting for Aang's answer. They wanted to know if in some way had all of his been planned, them all coming together. They all felt that it was fate, finding each other, but they didn't like the idea that is all out of their control.

"Not long. When you thought you might be pregnant again. I spoke to Roku, he told..."

"Over half a year. You have known for all that time…..and you never told me." Toph turned away from him.

"It wasn't the right time." Aang moved forward again, following her.

Before he could reach her, Toph spun round to face him again "Because you didn't think I could cope. You think I am too weak to handle..."

"No! I thought you would get yourself caught up in something, because of it. Because you are the most stubborn, reckless person I know. You never listen to anyone, you think you know best. Well sometimes you don't. Sometimes you are wrong and you should listen to those that know more than you. People that care about you, want to help you. People that love you…..do you know how hard it is to love someone that is so reckless. It's painful. It is painful to love you."

Aang could stand Toph being mad at him, if he knew that he was in the wrong, but he had only been trying to protect her. He didn't see anything wrong with that. Toph didn't flinch as he yelled at her. Once he was done she simply turned and walked away. As the anger left him just as suddenly as it took him over, Aang felt an empty feeling wash over him.

The room was again plunged into silence, until Zuko spoke "We are all tired, and this is a lot to take in. We can talk about what to do tomorrow."

Sokka was the first to leave after Toph. He still had to fill Suki in on this new information. Zuko took Katara's hand and they left too. Aang was sure he heard Katara apologizing again to Zuko, who he knew would tell her it was okay he didn't blame her.

All Aang could think about was the look on Toph's face when he had yelled at her. It reminded him of the time he yelled at her, blaming her for Appa being taken. She hadn't yelled back at him then ether. He knew she kept silent, because she knew him well enough to know that he needed to vent his anger. That he didn't really mean what he said. She took his anger on herself because she knew she could take it. He had to do the same for her, she had a lot of anger that she couldn't hold onto.

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	6. Chapter 6

Once Toph had entered her and Aang's room she locked the room behind her. She also moved quickly and locked the door on the other side of the room that lead onto the balcony. He would try to get in that way when he realised the door was locked. With that done she let out a deep breath, and moved to sit on the edge of the now very large seeming bed.

A few minutes later she was in the bed. When she heard his footsteps walking towards the door, she pulled the covers over her head, to drown out the noise he was making as he tried to open the door. He gave up after a few minutes. She knew this would not be the end of it. Sleep was not a possibility, there was too much going through her head. So she had to stay awake and wait for what she knew would soon come. The thing she kept coming back to was that he had kept this from her, he didn't think she could deal with it. In the end he saw her just like her father did, she was weak and had to be protected.

As she pulled the cover off, of her face to get some air a sharp pain shout through her right side. The cut had been small, but it was deeper than she had first thought. Sitting up, she spun her legs over the side of the bed. She was going to get something to help her sleep, but before she put a foot out of the bed, a voice came from the balcony.

"You are brave, loyal. You never give up..."

"What are you doing." Her voice didn't come off as stern as she had hoped.

Aang was standing in front of the door. The door was mad of glass, but it had wooden shutters that had been pulled down. So he could only make out her silhouette in the dark room. "I'm listing your good qualities. Why it is so easy for me to love you."

Before he had yelled at her, saying all of the things he found annoying about her. Now to win her over he was going to tell her all the things he loved about her. It was a cheap trick, but it was all he had at the moment.

"You are selfless, always putting everyone before yourself. You're nurturing, even if you don't want to show it. You are also the most beautiful person I have ever seen. You don't see it but it's true. I love you, and I'm sorry. All I wanted was to protect you. Not because you can't take care of yourself, but because I love you and I want to. I saw you in so much pain after everything, and I just wanted to protect you from any more pain for as long as I could. I not going to apologise for caring about you. Just the way I went about it."

He may have been asking her to forgive him, but he couldn't admit that he was fully in the wrong. He would never be sorry or feel guilty about trying to protect her. She was his wife that was part of the deal.

Toph didn't need to focus on his heartbeat to know he was telling the truth. She was still mad at him, but all she wanted know was to hold him in her arms. He would hold her and then she would feel like everything was going to be ok, he would make the world stop spinning around for her. It would be just them, all of what was going on around them didn't matter.

She hadn't said anything since he stopped talking, slowly he lifted his hand to the door. The door moved under his light touch, it was open. Now placing his hand fully on the door he pushed it open and walked into the door.

The light from the moon and stars lit the room. He saw Toph slowly lower her right arm to her side. She must have bent the metal latch on the door to let him in. After he took the first step into the room he stopped. He wasn't sure what to do now.

"Get in here." The tone in her voice was one he hadn't heard in a long time. Forgetting everything he made his way to her. When he was close enough to her, Toph took hold of the tag that he wore around his neck found in the southern air temple. She used it to pull him down to her so she could kiss him, then she leaned back onto the bed taking him with her.

For a few seconds nothing that had happened that day, or over that past year mattered. They were just Toph and Aang, with no expectations on them. Aang's hand brushed against the bandage around Toph's waist, the world all came back into sharp focus again.

"Wait." As he spoke, he slowly pulled himself up, to stand at the side of the bed again. Toph followed him, as she pushed herself to sit back up.

"Hit me."

"What."

Toph really didn't have a clue what was going through her husband's mind right now. All that she knew was that he had never pulled away from her like that before. A part of her felt a little rejected. When she had needed to be close to someone, to him, move than ever before he had pulled away from her. She really did feel like hitting him now.

Aang looked her right in the eyes as he spoke. "You let me yell at you, because you knew that I needed to vent my anger. I took it out on you because you let me. Now I am telling you to take your anger out on me. You have so much anger that you have kept inside, let it out. Hit me." He was taking so gently, it was as if she was being asked to do something for him.

"What if I hurt you."

"You won't."

He sounded so sure. He had this answer all planned, it was the same answer Toph had given to the man whose leg she healed. She told him to hold her hand as tightly as he had to while she bonebent the leg back onto place, he was worried he would hurt her.

Toph didn't move, Aang took her hand. "You are angry, that you never got to know your mother. That your father never really knew you. He treated you like you were a possession not a human being. He put you in a cage. You had to hide who you where..." He was silenced be a punch to his left shoulder.

"Shut up!" Toph didn't want to hear anymore. She pulled her right hand away from him.

He didn't listen to her, he started to talk again. "We never listened to you. I left you, when you needed a friend the most I left. You had to do my job, be what everyone expected you to be...nobody cared what you wanted." He knew that he was just upsetting her now, but he had to push her to get her to react.

Another punch, this time stronger hit him on the chest. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." As the hits became weaker and weaker, he wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her into his chest. "Stop it, just stop it." She still tried to hit him, but gave up after a while.

Her sobbing was muffled as her head was buried in his robe. "It's ok." He kissed her on the top of her head, and pulled her in closer. After a few minutes, her hands that had been pulled to her chest when Aang pulled her to him, pushed them apart.

The tears caught the light of the moon, making them look bigger. Aang's heart failed him for a second, he worried if pushing her to let her anger out that way, was the right thing. Maybe this had been more for his benefit, than hers, that way he could feel like he had been punished for keeping this all from her.

"I'm most angry at myself. It was my fault we lost our child. I wasn't strong enough. I didn't think I wanted it. Then I realised how much I already loved it, but it was too late... I hate that I was wrong." This was the most she had ever said about their loss. After all this time she couldn't refer to the child they lost as any more than an it. If she didn't refer to the child as anything more, than she hoped it would stop it from being so real. "That I actually thought I could change my life, but I can't. It's all being controlled for me, and there is nothing I can do to change that." She half laughed under he now quiet sobs. "There has been anything that I can do."

Aang hated to hear her sound so defeated, it wasn't like her. He wiped away a tear that was falling down her check. "That's not true, and I know deep down you don't believe that." His hols on her shoulders tightened a little. "We are going to fix this." The determination, strength in his voice was something that not many heard. Those that did couldn't help but believe every word that he said. "Then we are going to forget about all of this. Cause it is just you and me, that is all that matters in the end."

Toph didn't say anything, she just gave a small nod and tried to smile. Aang picked her up and laid her on the bed, he lay next to her holding her in his arms. Neither of them slept that night, but they didn't say another word.


	7. Chapter 7

"So...What's the plan….exactly"

Suki was the first to speak. The gang had all assembled on the small veranda that joined Zuko's study to the garden. They had been going around in circles for what felt like hours, and seemed to be getting no were. It was time to get back on track. Suki was sitting next To Sokka at the small table. She had missed out on the talk yesterday, and wanted to find out what was really going on. She was sure Sokka hadn't told her everything. He had the same look in his eyes he had when he broke something and wanted to hide it from her.

Toph was sitting on the small wall that boarded the veranda, with her back to the garden. She kept her sightless gaze on the ground below her as she spoke. "Zoku. Who would you father want by his side, as he regained his power."

It was a rhetorical question, they all knew the answer, but no one said anything. Zuko who was leaning against the door in front of Toph, looked up into the sky as he said what they all knew "Azula."

"So we have to go and stop him from..."

"No!"

Katara pushed herself of the wall she was leaning on, as she interrupted her brother. "None of us are going anywhere near her." She was now standing in the centre of the veranda. All four sets of working eyes were now on her.

Lifting her head Toph was now trying to look Katara in the face. "We don't really have a choice. We have to get to her before he does."

"Who's to say he isn't with her right now. That we aren't already to late." Katara wasn't stupid, she knew what Toph was saying was true. She just didn't like the idea of anyone that she cared about being anywhere near her sister in law "You remember what happened to you the last time, don't you." She was now standing in front of Toph.

That was cheap shout, Toph remembered perfectly well what had happened the last time Azula had come into their lives. Her ribs, on the right side still hurt, when she pushed herself to hard.

"Of course I do."

Zuko stepped forward placing his hands on his wives shoulder, and pulled her back from Toph "We don't all have to go; I'm the only one that knows where she is being held. I'll go." Katara pulled away from him. She made her way to stand next to Suki, who placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Aang had been sitting on the step that lead onto the grass, his back was to everyone else. He heard all they had said, but didn't know what to say himself. Till now. "I'm going with you." He still had his back to them all as he spoke.

Toph jumped down from her set on the fence, and stood beside Aang now. "You have to go to the spirit world. Find out how to put a stop to this….. I'll go with Zuko."

At this Aang got to his feet, and spun round to face his wife. "It's to dangerous, for you to ..."

"Talking to Azula isn't going to stop any of this, it's just stopping it from getting any worse. I'll be fine. This is something I have to do." She now turned to face Zuko "It's my fault that she is the way she is now. I pushed her over the edge."

Zuko didn't like the idea of Toph being in the same room as Azula, any more than Aang did, but he understood why she had to do it. He blamed himself for what had happened to his sister. If he had been a better big brother, then he would have looked out for her. He would have seen how she was being twisted by their fathers influence. He could have helped her, at least tried to. He was to caught up in protecting himself. Thinking like this was going to do no good. She was responsible for her own actions, just like everyone else.

"What are you going to do. That is going to make risking your life worth it." Sokka now stood up to his full height. His outburst would have been freighting, it he wasn't blocked in behind the table.

"It's my fault! I just have to do this ok." Toph's head turned to face him now.

Suki took her husband's hand in her's as she got to her feet. "So. Zuko and Toph are taking Appa to see Azula. Aang is going to go to the spirit world to find out what he can. Then what are we meant to do. We're not going to stand back and do nothing." Suki had become a master at conflict resolution that is what happens when you have two sons with just over a year in age difference.

"Someone has to watch Aang when he's in the spirit world and the kids." Toph was also very good at conflict resolution that came from having to keep order amongst a bunch of earth kingdom nobles. Who could not even agree on the colour of the water on an over cast day. What did it matter grey or blue. It was all water after all.

Zuko knew Katara wasn't going to be appeased by this. Carefully he took a step towards her. "You know this is what we have to do." His hands took hers in his.

"Then I am going with you. They can watch Aang and the..."

"No! You aren't coming. I can't risk anything happening to you… not after last time." His hold on her hands now tightened.

"So it's ok for Toph to..."

"Toph is my best friend, but she's not my wife, the mother of my children...she's not you." All of her anger left her, as she kissed her husband.

Her worry of course remained. "Be careful"

They pulled apart and Zuko left the saddle Appa for the trip. Suki walked over to Katara and gently placed her arm around her should then pulled her back into the palace to check on the kids. Sokka walked on the opposite side of his sister. Placing a hand on her arm for a second. None dared to look back at the couple that still remained on the veranda.

Toph and Aang were now on their own. Toph could tell Aang wasn't happy about the plan, but also that he wouldn't do anything to try and stop her from going. He always let her do what she felt was right, even if he didn't agree with what she was doing. This caused a feeling of guilt to well up inside her. It would be easier, at least make her feel a little better if he would just yell at her.

As she walked past him, to fallow Zuko he took hold of her right hand. She had wanted to just leave without any goodbyes, but she couldn't just leave it this way. In a second she turned to face Aang, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Aang held her back, just as tightly. They pulled part, Toph's hands slid down from Aang's neck to his elbows. He moved his head closer to rest on hers. A small smile appeared on her face, for a split second, before they kissed. After they reluctantly broke the kiss, they returned to their previous position, Foreheads touching. Nether wanted to let go of the other.

"I love you." Her voice was so low, no one else could have heard it.

"Don't say it, not like that." Aang moved his head back so he could look her in the eyes. He was sure they seemed to be greener than they normally were.

"Like what." She tried to smile, but she couldn't.

"Like, it is the last time you are going to say it."

Toph took one large step backwards, pulling his hands off her waist as she did. "Zuko is waiting." She walked away. Aang could stand to watch her walk away; he turned to enter the palace.

"Be careful, twinkle toes." When he turned to look at her, she was out of sight.

**Sorry it was such a short chapter. I hope that you liked it. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, sorry it has been so long since the last time I up-dated. I promise that I will up-date more often and hope to have this part of the story finished by the end of the mouth. **

**TaangFanToph. Thank you so much for the reviews. I hope that you will like this chapter.**

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As Aang returned to the palace he was meet with a worried gaze from Katara. She had returned to see the only person that she knew felt the same as her. She was leaning against the wall parallel to the door Aang had just come through. Zuko's study was a large room, so their seemed to be a huge distance between the two friends.

"How are you."

Aang was the first to speak. Wanting to do anything to break the silence. He felt like this was all his fault. Katara unfortunately felt slightly the same way. She didn't answer at first. After taking in a deep breath she moved to stand behind the chair nearest her. Then she finally spoke.

"Sokka and Suki went to check on the kids. I'll watch you while you're in the spirit world, till we swap over."

"Ok, but that's not what I asked."

Katara turned her face away from the avatar. "Aang. I just don't want to think about it." Her hands held so tightly onto the chair her arms started to shack.

Aang walked towards his old friend, and pulled her quickly into a hug before she had the chance to more away. "They are going to be fine." He tried to make it sound like he believed what he was saying. He doubted thou that she believed him. She knew him to well for that.

"Thank you." Deep down she knew he was just saying it to stop her from worrying, but she needed to hear it. Hoping that just by saying it, but that thought out into the world, it would help make it come true. Aang ended up feeling worse. He was left wondering why couldn't he believe what he just said when Katara seemed did, even a little.

Taking a few steps back, Aang sat down in the centre of the room. He gave Katara a weak smile before he closed his eyes. She gave a faint smile back in return. When she was sure he was in the spirit world, Katara allowed herself to move. She moved to sit in a chair she had been holding onto foe support. She moved it round so she could look out of the open veranda door and have a sideways view of Aang. This all seemed so familiar yet so different. This was the first time in a long time that she had been able to really look at her friend.

He had grown up. He wasn't the skinny little kid he was when she had first meet him. It was now looking back, with the benefit of time and distance that she could see things she never saw at the time. She saw that he had started to truly grow up when Toph joined the group. They had their problems, but it was clear that Toph cared about Aang, and that Aang cared what Toph thought of him. It was her pushing to as much as she did that forced him to grow up. She had no doubt that he would have grown up, Toph just moved things along at a faster pace.

Thoughts of her husband couldn't be kept back forever. He had ignored it, refused to even bring it up, but see his father again, and now leaving to face his sister was something she knew he would not ever choice to do. Unless he felt he had no choice. That was what worried her the most, that there seemed to be no other way to face this than that way they were. If it failed, there was no backup plan.

Suki had put Kya and baby Iroh down for a nap. She was making her way along the corridor to check on Sokka and her boys, when she pumped into her husband, as they were turning the same corner.

"I'm so sorry, are you ok." Sokka asked as he help his wife to her feet.

"I'm fine." She could tell his concern was in apart to do with what was going on with the rest of their family. He had the far off look he got when he say a full moon. "It will work out." Taking his hand back into hers she pulled him along the corridor, back the way he had come. She wanted to see her three boys all together.

"How do you know that."

"They have too much to lose." Her mind know went to the two left behind in the study. "They both have families to come back too. They aren't going to be as reckless as they were the last time."

"It's not just about them anymore, things have changed." Sokka was speaking to himself, to sort things out in his head.

"I know." As she was talking to himself eh never expected a response. "More importantly, so do Toph and Zuko."

Suki stopped in her tracks, and kissed Sokka on the check. The kiss let him know that what ever happened she was going to be there. It gave him hope. "Let's go cheek on the boys. If they brake anything else, we are never going to be able to come back here."

A faint smile crossed Sokka's face as he wrapped an arms around Suki's shoulder and kissed her on the forehead.

Toph and Zuko where both sitting on Appa's head, as they flew over the fire nation. Neither of them enjoying the beautiful scenery that flew by them, for two very different reasons. Then hadn't said a word since they left on their journey. There really wasn't much to say. Toph was running her fingers over the grand master bracelet Aang had given her years ago.

Zuko noticed this and smiled a little. It gave him hope. It let him know that the two people that were in the centre of all that was going on were not going to be broken apart. Therefore whatever was going on could be dealt with. It if wasn't going to break them, it was not going to break anyone else.

"You still play with that thing when you're trying to remain calm."

"Who says I'm trying to remain calm." As she spoke Toph tried to give him an evil glare, it didn't work.

He couldn't help but laugh a little, for this he was given a strong punch to his arm. "If I didn't need you to steer, I would have punched you off of Appa." Toph was able to maintain her unflinching face for a few seconds, before she smiled, then laughed a faint laugh.

After the laughter had died, they were again silent. The laughter had been a way to break the tension take their minds of what they were doing, what was going on around them. It was only a quick fix, it couldn't last.

Toph broke this silence a few minutes "Are you ok."

"Straight to the point, as always." Zuko hadn't meant to sound as withdrawn or harsh as he did.

Toph bit her lip, as she felt a wave of concern for her friend wash over her "You wouldn't want me to be any other way. That's why you love me."

"No, you're right. Aang would hate it if..."

"If you are trying to get me to worry about Aang, so I don't worry about you, then it isn't going to work. I am very going at multitasking."

Normally Zuko would have tried to think of a good come back, but he was silenced by what he saw in the distance. They were there. The building was large and foreboding. He always got a feeling of dread when he caught sight of it. His grip on the reins tightened, as he guided Appa to begin the descent to the earth below.

Toph felt the change in the air around her. She didn't have anything to hold onto, so she clenched her hands till they landed. Once they jumped down from Appa they were standing in front of a large fort, in the north of the fire nation. The whole fort was made of sand stone. Toph could take in the whole building in as she stood in-front of it. There was one room that stood out to her. It was different from the others it was surrounded by a layer of metal. She didn't have to even try to find out who was in that room. At least they had made it here first.

Zuko didn't move, once he jumped down from Appa, It was like he was stuck to the spot. Toph reached out to take his hand. Saying that it was going to be ok, that she was there to help him, wasn't going to do any good, this was all she could do thou. So it was what she did.

He gave her hand a squeeze back, before they stared to walk towards the main door. Just before they reached the door they let go of each other's hand. The guards that opened the door for them, thought by looking at them they were preparing for a battle. In a way there where. Just not the kind of battle either was good at or comfortable with.

They walked the rest of the way through the fort in silence again.

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**As always thank you for reading. I really hope you liked it. All input and comments are very welcome, and mean a lot. I hope to have the next chapter up in the next three days or so. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for reading. I hope that you are enjoying the story and will keep doing so. **

**TaangFanToph. Thank you so much for the review. Glad you liked it.**

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Zuko stopped dead in front of the metal door. If Toph could see, she would have seen his face slowly draining as they had been walking, till it turned white. Toph stood by his side, normally she would have pushed him through the door, but this wasn't a normal situation. She did not want to be here anymore than he did. Slowly she moved her hand onto the lock of the door. She unlocked it, but didn't open it.

"Whenever you're ready." She sounded so casual, like this was nothing important. Like visiting her friend's crazy sister that had tried to kill them countless time was an everyday occurrence.

Before he was really aware what he was doing, had time to think to much about what he was doing, his hand reached out and opened the door. The door creaked open, but neither of them moved to enter the room.

"It's been a while zuzu." She didn't need him to enter the room, to know it was him. "A very long while."

A few seconds later Zuko stepped into the room. His body so rigid a strong blow from Aang's airbending would have knocked him over. The only light that seeped into the room came pouring in through a small window opposite the door. There was a bed pushed against the wall on the right. A chair and desk against the remaining wall on to the left of Zuko.

Azula was standing below the window, facing Zuko as he walked through the door. An evil grin was about to cross her face, but if fell as Toph walked through the door a pace behind Zuko. To her Toph was a witch, a monster. Her fear and anger was so strong, Toph could feel it through the metal floor.

"What is she doing here!" As she rushed to get the words out, she stepped back till she reached the wall, her back pressed tightly against it.

Toph stood behind Zuko, not wanting to cause Azula any more stress. Make this harder for Zuko. For a reason he didn't quit understand he found that he was holding his right hand out, to block Toph from Azula as if she was the one in fear of the girl on the other side of the room. "We are here to talk to you. Our father has escaped."

He was almost unable to have his last word hear over Azula's laughter. Her fear quickly forgotten for a moment as she looked only at Zuko. His right hand now clenched. Toph noticed the anger building up in Zuko. Moving past him, now facing Azula, she set her sightless gaze on her. Wanting to end this all as quickly as possible.

"We really need to talk." Even thou she was now speaking to Zuko, she didn't turn to face him. "Zuko, will you leave us to talk." Both heart rates speed up, as she knew they would. She finally turned to Zuko, giving him a smile. "We'll be fine."

Deep down he knew there was no point in arguing with her, so he did as he was asked. Even thou she would never admit it; she was the one that was in real danger. This concerned her more than him at this monument, so he would let her play it her way. He slowly and reluctantly left the room. In truth he was glad of the excuse to get out of the room, away from Azula. It hurt him more than he would ever have thought to see her, for so many different reasons.

Azula wanted to run after him or scream for Zuko not to leave her here with this witch, but her fear paralysed her to the spot. Toph had felt people being scared of her before. There was a time when she enjoyed it. It was the prof that she ended that she was not the helpless little blind girl she was told she was. Over the years the enjoyment slept away. Toph hadn't moved till she moved her hand behind her back, as she did the door closed, slamming shut loudly.

"I'm not here to fight. I'll keep my hands behind my back...now." She now held her hands behind her back.

"What makes you think you can trust me." She grinned. "You might not hurt me, but I will hurt you." Azula found her voice again. It was the way this little witch was acting, as if she was in control that brought it back.

Rolling her eyes in her head as she spoke, answering Azula's question. "I can block most attacks you try on me. This room is metal. I am the only metalbender. Also lightning travels through metal. You would be hurt too if you used lightning in here. You would really have to be cra..."

The room was suddenly filled with a bright blue light, as Azula sent a bolt of lightning to the floor right in front of Toph. Both girls then fell to their knees. Toph had to bit her lip to stop her from screaming

"You really...are ...Crazy." Her voice was weak as she tried to get her breath back.

"Why isn't ...he rushing...in to...help you." Azula was having a harder time getting her breath back, she hadn't bent lightning in years, it took a lot out of her.

Toph pulled her upper body up as she answered." I locked the door."

A look of horror washed over Azula's face. That was what she had done when she closed the door. She bent the metal latch to lock it. Her hands now moved out in front of her, making small circular movements. Azula tried to push herself up, to stand, to get away, but her hands wouldn't move off the floor. When she looked from Toph down at them, they were skunking into the metal floor.

Before she could say anything a voice was heard on the other side of the door. "Toph what is going on, the door is locked. Are you ok." Zuko was sure he heard a small yell coming from the room, now the door was locked, something was wrong.

"Everything is fine. I locked the door." It took a bit of effort for her to speak normally, without taking so many breathes. She slowly turned her face towards Azula speaking in a lower voice. "We really do need to talk."

It was her eyes, for the first time in years looking into her sightless eyes that caused Azula to react the way she did. Not caring that it would hurt her too, she went out anther bolt of lightning, that travelled thorough the floor. Toph didn't allow herself to let out a yell, she just slumped forward, using her hands to keep her up as eh body shock from eth power traveling through it. Azula fell forward, lying on the floor, she had let out a yell. It seemed she could dish it out, but couldn't take it.

While she waited for Azula to push herself back up, Toph slid back along the cold floor to lean against the wall next to the door. A few second later Azula was on her knees again, her hands still trapped.

"You know. We are. A lot alike." Azula didn't dare look at Toph as she spoke "We spent our life's being told what we had to be by our fathers. We never knew what it was like to be loved by a parent, for who we really are." Slowly reaching out her right hand, that shock a little from the strain Toph realised Azula's hands from the metal floor.

She went on. "You did what you thought was right. What you had been brought up to believe was right. We need your help now, you have to think for yourself. Your father is trying to get his bending back, and we think he is going to come for you. He is going to use you, because you can bend, that is all it is, he is using you."

"Shut up!" For a split second Toph thought, she was going to hit her with a lightning bolt again. She didn't think she could take a third hit. She knew Azula couldn't. Her hear was close to bursting through her chest. Luckily from both she just kept yelling. "What do you know about it."

"I told you, we are alike. My father did the same thing. He used me to gain more power and money for the family. You still have a family. A mother and a brother, you're lucky."

"Why would you trust me, after...everything." Azula now found the courage to look Toph in the eyes, again.

"Everyone makes mistakes, and deservers a second chance. Most importantly there is no lying to me, if you lie or try and trick us I will know." Using the wall, Toph pulled herself to her feet. "And I will kill."

Azula did the same. She almost fell over, but was able to hold on to the wall in time. At Toph's words he let out a faint laugh. Her confidence slowly coming back to her. Toph heard this and laughed a little under her breath.

"Oh, you think I'm joking." Azula's eyes shout up to meet Toph's. "I can cause this lovely room of yours to collapse in on you. I can bury you alive ten feet underground. I can also break every bone in your body, puncturing every organ. To name a few."

Azula laughed again. This time though it seemed genuine. "You know what." Toph gave her a shrug, indicating for her to go on. "In another life time, I think we could have been friends."

Toph laughed again too. "Yeah I think your right." Taking a deep breath she pushed herself off the wall. Now trusting herself to stand up unaided. "I don't know about you thou, but I'm not quite ready to give up on this life time yet." For a brief second she smiles. All that she had to life for crossed her mind.

The firebender was about to smile too, but instead she caught sight of something and spook without thinking. "You're bleeding."

Toph placed her hand to her right side, where she had been cut with the dagger the day before. The wound must have been opened again. Two lighting strikes would do that. "If we are going to get along, you have to never do that again. If I am hurt then leave it, I can deal with it on my own. Never ask me if I'm ok."

Once she finished her speech it hit Toph, that maybe there was a chance to redeem Azula. She would have been content to get her at least agree to stay out of this. Not do anything to help her father. Now she thought maybe she could hope for more for her brother and mother.

"You can still have your family back. A family that love you for who you are. Not what you can do for them, but you have to make that choice now. What do you think is the right thing to do."

A look of conviction now appeared on the fire nation princess face. "I will help you."

"Good." Again for a fraction of a second, she smiled. "We think your father is going to come here to get you out. So you can help him. You are going to let him." A smirked crossed her face as Azula looked at her with a look of confusion. "Go along with his plan. When he makes his move against us again, you'll join us." the conviction seemed to be leaving Azula, now she knew what the plan involved. "We aren't planning to kill, or hurt him….. If we can avoid it." She felt she had to be honest "We just want to catch him and put him away again."

"What about me. After this is over, what happens to me."

"That Azula, is all up to you."

Toph now found the strength to move to further into the room. As she did she held out her right hand. Stopping did in the centre of the room "You have to meet me half way." It took a lot of effort for Azula to leave the support of the wall. When she reached the middle of the room she took Toph's hand in hers.

A smile now appeared on Azula's face for the first time in a long time, Toph too smiled till she pulled Azula closer to her wrapping her free hand around her shoulder, so she could whisper in her ear. "I meant what I said. If you even think about turning on us, I will kill you. I'm not as good a person as Aang, Zuko and Katara. I don't really have any morals, when it comes to people that abuse their power." Despite her words she did not come across as being overly threatening. "Like I said, we are alike."

Before Azula could say anything else Toph had moved away from her, unlocked the door and left. She second her support was gone she tilted a little forward. Moving quickly she dropped down on to the edge of her bed. Even with the way things had ended, she still felt the most alive she had in a long time. She had been locked away from people, with only the guards for so long.

The second she was out of the room, Toph held her hand to her right side. There didn't seem to be a lot of blood, she didn't feel much on her hand. Maybe she could get away without Zuko noticing.

Zuko had been leaning against the wall from the door and heard everything that had been said, and he was having a hard time controlling his anger. When they were far enough along the corridor, that Azula wouldn't hear he finally spoke "Why did you say that to her. I will never forgive her for what she did to Mai never. Aang is never going to forgive her, especially for hurting you..."

Toph stop walking, turning on him "Don't you think I know that. I just lied to someone's face for the first time in my life. I have always been honest with people, because they always have to be honest with me. I told her that she could still have a life that her family loved her. Soon she is going to know that it was a lie. Then she is going to fall apart completely, I did that, that's my fault."

"I'm sorry Toph, none of this can be easy for you."

"Or you." He turned away from her at that. "I would do it all again, to protect the people I care about. I just don't what to think about it, so drop it please."

She tried to move, but the adrenaline that had kept her going this long finally ran out. Her legs buckled under her. Zuko was just able to catch before she fell over. It was then, with his hand around her waist that he noticed the blood.

"Your hurt, what happened."

He tried to pick her up, to carry her to Appa, but she took hold of his hand, to stop him. "It's nothing, I just need to bandage the cut again. Let's just get Appa and get back."

Zuko didn't try and pick her up again, he just held her by the waist as she held him by the neck, and slowly helped her out of the fort. He really wanted to get as far away from this place as fast as he could, but he was now forced to take his time. He was grateful that she was letting him help her.

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**Thanks for reading. Any comment are very welcome. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I am so so sorry that it had been about a week since the last chapter. I meant to have this up sooner but some stuff came up. I still would like to get this part done by the end of this month, early next month. So I will be better from now on. **

**Guest. They are on their way. Thanks. **

**TaangFanToph. I liked writing that part. I wish they would have really interacted in they show. I think it would have been interesting. Thank you.**

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Everything around him was blue. A vast horizon of clear blue expanding out around him in all directions. It he thought was meant to help him feel calm. So he could stay as long as he needed too, it wasn't working. The thought that at this minute Toph could be in danger, never left his mind. He couldn't believe that he had let her go off with Zuko, to talk to someone that at one time or other had tried to kill each of his closest friends. Less than a second after he arrived, before he had a chance to refocus more on the real world, Aang was joined by Roku.

"I am aware of the reason you have come here..."

"Then tell me how to stop it."

Aang wanted to get this meeting over with quickly so he could go and find Toph. She would hate him if he went after her, but he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. In all honesty he didn't know what he really could do for her by being with her, but it would make him feel better. If he knew something, anything that could help or explain so much the better.

Roku was reluctant to answer the question. As he knew Aang was not going to like the answer. "I can't tell you that, but I can help you to understand what is really going on more clearly."

"Ozai is after Toph so that he can get his bending back. What more is there to know!"

It still surprised him how much of Toph had rubbed off on him. Even just a two years ago it would have taken him longer to slightly exploded like that. Roku allowed Aang to have his outburst, it was clear that he had a lot of anger that he had to let out.

"That is true, but there is more to it. It is not just Ozai that wished to use Toph's power." Aang's eyes narrowed. "He was told about Toph's powers by Koh." He gave Aang a minute to recover from what he had just told him before he went on. "It was Koh that showed you the vision of Toph in the swamp. He can exist in the swamp as well if he needs too. It is the only other place he has power. That is openly linked to the sp..."

"Why. Why did he show me Toph, and what does he want with her!"

As if he had never been interrupted Roku started speaking again, where he had left off. Answering his future life's questions. "He showed her to you, so you would find her. He forced you to see her, to be aware of her. If he is able to steal her face, then he will have the power to leave the spirit world."

All of this made sense. A spirit that wanted to freedom that he had past unpleasant dealings with, was oddly normal in the scheme of things. However there was something that didn't seem right. There was something he was missing, but he couldn't figure out what it was. It was like it was in the back of his mind, just out of his reach. Something that would make all the pieces fit together. Hopefully let him know what to do next.

"Ozai is simply a puppet, Koh is using him to draw Toph out. You must watch her."

Aang was now blinded with visions of a past life. He saw Toph being taken by Koh. Like Kuruk had watched Ummi being taken from him. The faces were different, but the feelings were the same. Toph was Ummi's reinsertion, as he was Kuruk's he wasn't going to let history repeat itself. He wasn't going to lose her like that. The spirit of the avatar could not take that kind of lose again. As the vision cleared he saw things more clearly. He finally realised what was missing.

"Koh stole Ummi's face. She was a fated spirit. Why didn't he gain the power to leave the spirit world then."

"Toph is different, as you know. She also possess a small part of the power of the avatar spirit. It is that part that he wants. He tried to get it from you, and failed..."

"So know he is going after Toph because he thinks she will be an easier target."

Even with everything that was going on, Aang couldn't help but smile a little. Koh was going to be in for a big surprise, if he ever met Toph. That was something however he wasn't going to let that happen. Thou a part of him did slight enjoy the thought of seeing the look on the sprits face, when he realised that he had greatly underestimated the blind earthbender. It had been such a long time since he saw that look on someone's face. There was no way that she would give up without a fight. She would prove him wrong for thinking of her as an easy target.

"That would seem so"

"So I just have to keep her away from..."

"No. The most important thing you have to do is stop her from unlocking the power of the avatar sprit. If she does, it will mark her out to every sprit that might wish to try and use that power. Like your power hers are blocked by the seven chakras. From her skill as an earthbender it would be safe to assume that she has already open at least three of her chakras. There is nothing else that I can tell you that will be of any help."

Aang found himself getting more frustrated. He had come here for answers, and he had more questions now than before. "How am I meant to stop her from unlocking her other chakra gates!…..get Zuko to shot her with a bolt of lightning to the back. She's with Azula now, maybe she'll do it."

"You are the avatar, and her husband. You know her better than anyone, and what opens the chakra gates. You can do it, you are the only one that can."

Before Aang could ask any more questions, Roku was gone. Leaving him with a faint smile, offering his best wishes for what was to come. The blue all around him came into sharp focus just before it quickly faded and he was back in Zuko's study. Looking at the door to the veranda and out on to the sky that had faded to from bright blue to a cool evening glow.

"Aang. What did you find out."

Katara moved out of her chair to stand by his side, as he pulled himself to his feet. Slowly he turned to face his friend. She looked tired and so worried, he hadn't seen her look like that in years. I hated seeing that look in her normally caring eyes. He wanted to take it away and take away the worry he felt too.

"I know what I have to do."

Before she could ask him anything else he was walking passed her towards the door, picking up his glider, which rested against the wall as he left. He was going to find Toph, she knew that. She was glad he was had a plan, but she didn't know what it was. That is what worried her. Things as she remembered then never went well when he or any of them went off on their own. She Sokka, and Suki were still in the dark about the majority of what was going on. They just had to wait for the others to come back. She hated that and knew her brother and sister in law did too.

Katara left the room after she had watched Aang open out his glider and take off into the sky, to go and check on the children. When she was a few steps along the corridor she saw Sokka and Suki walking towards her. They must be coming to swap over with her so she could see the kids. She smiled at them but it didn't show in her eyes. They still looked the same as Aang had seen them. Tired and worried.

"He's back and he's left to go after them."

"I knew it." Sokka crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall on his right. "Did he find out anything, what did he tell you."

She couldn't take her eyes of the floor in front of her. It was clear her brother was mad at Aang for going off on his own and still keeping things from them. She didn't want to make that any worse. When the three of them came back she knew that they were going to need to work together. She didn't want to make that harder.

"He just said he knew what he had to do, then left." Suki placed a comforting hand on her sister in laws shoulder.

"They are going to be fine. This is the avatar, fire lord and the grand master earthbender we are talking about. I bet they will be back by sunrise tomorrow."

They believed in what Suki had just said, but a part of all three of them had this feeling that something wasn't right. Something dark was on the horizon, and all they could do was sit back and wait. This feeling for all of them brought back unpleasant memories. Powerless to do anything, they would just have to wait and hope.

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**Thank you for reading. I plan to have the next chapter up on Monday. As always I hope that you liked it and will like they rest of the story. All comments are welcome. **


	11. Chapter 11

The sun was starting to set. Lasting a warm glow over the land Appa flew over. Toph sitting in the front of the saddle pulled a blanket around her to keep warm, as the cold evening wind rushed past her. She never liked flying after the sun set, it was always to cold. Zuko didn't seem to be affected by the cold. Neither had said anything since they left the fort. They wouldn't have known where to even start.

So many things were going through Zuko's head, it was lucky Appa only had to keep going straight ahead to get back to the capital, because he wouldn't have been able to direct him properly. The one thing that he kept coming back too, was what he was going to do next. He never wanted things to end up this way. He didn't know if he could ever really truly forgive her, but maybe he could find a way to try.

With this thought and just a brief image in his head about his whole family at least the majority of his family together, Zuko was about to break the silence when Appa turned sharply to the left. Toph with her hands wrapped under the blanket fell out of the saddle. Zuko was just able to grab her arm through the blanket in time, pulling her next to him on the Sky bison's head. The blanket was lost however and floated on the wind down to the earth.

"What was that!"

Toph's question was quickly answered by a fire ball hitting Appa's saddle, with such force that almost knocked it off Appa's back. Forcing the mighty creature to once again veer sharply to the right. Toph was thrown against Zuko's as he held on tightly to the rains, trying to keep them from falling off. As Appa started to fly steady again, he felt a tight pressure on his left arm. A quick glance down told him it was Toph holding tightly onto him for support. As disorientating as that was for him, it had to be worse for her.

"I can't see where the attacks are coming from."

Zuko was trying to decide on the best course of action, as the attacks kept coming, though everyone missed for now. If they landed they could face them head on, but they could be very out numbered. If they stayed in the air they were a sitting duck. He did his best to keep his slight fear and frustration from showing in his voice, as not to worry her. Her tighter hold on his arm told him he had failed.

Before he had time to think more make a choice, Toph let his arm go and got to her feet. She made her way to the centre of the saddled. Picking up a robe for the supply pack in the saddle. He had to keep his eyes on where they were going, so when he glanced back at her, the robe was tied around her waist and the side of eth saddle, to stop her from falling out.

"Tell me were to aim."

As she spoke a stream of dust, coal sand and other forms of earth were pulled out of the pouch she wore attached to her belt. The stream was bent into a whip that she sent out, to block the incoming attacks. Zuko directed her as best he could, but he still had to keep Appa steady as well.

Toph was starting to tire, the meeting with Azula had taken its toll on her. As two indirect hits from a bolt of lightning would do. "We have to land, Appa can't keep this up much longer." Zuko could tell be her voice that she was also not able to keep this up much longer. At least on the ground they had an advantage.

When Appa landed, Toph untied the robe then jumped onto the ground. As she did she sent the earth whip out one last time before pulling it back into the pouch. Zuko moved to stand by her side, taking his stanch. Wanting to make the most of his first hit.

"How many." The sun had now almost entirely set, making it hard to see to far into the distance.

"Six coming towards us." Toph now too took her stanch, and waited.

"There taking their time." Zuko tried to sound as causal as he could. Even finishing his comment with a faint smile.

Toph didn't really hear him. She was concentrating on the six people heading towards them, they were planning something. They slowed down, and spread out.

"What are they doing." Zuko was now sure that something had changed, the look on Toph's face gave it away.

"I don't know, yet."

The silence seemed to last for an eternity. The stream a few feet away from them sounded like thunder. A cold wind blow that chilled them to the bone, something was going to happen, but they had no idea what or from what direction it was going to come from.

It happened so fast neither had a chance to block the hit. A huge fire ball, that was a combination of five very large fire balls, hit the ground right in between them, sending them back a few feet and Appa into the air for cover. Zuko hit the ground with so much force he was knocked out. Toph was about to hit a tree when a pair of arms pulled at her, forcing her to the ground. Before she could focus clearly, her hands where pulled sharply behind her back. Where they were held by a rope.

"Lady Bei Fong, what a pleasure it is to see you again."

Ozai now joined his group. He walked over to Toph, placing his hand under her chin to left her head up. If she wasn't still being held in placed by the person that caught her she would have lashed out at him. Bent an earth spike to his chest or a large boulder to the head. That would just be the start with. No one dared call her that name anymore.

"Actually its princess Toph of the fire nation. That would be my correct, and highest title I hold here. Ozai." She took great pleasure in causing his heart to race with such anger.

Zuko still hadn't come around. He was being tied up to a tree a few feet from the one Toph had almost hit. Toph kept track of the movements of the six men. One of them that stood by Zuko moved his hand to his side. When he moved it away he was holding something in his hand. Something he moved towards Zuko's throat.

"Leave him alone! He's your son."

Years ago Toph was sure she had been able to appeal to Ozai better nature, getting him to tell Zuko where is mother was. He still had to have that little bit of human compaction. An evil grin crossed the former fire lord's face. In the twilight, it would have frightened most people, but it was lost on Toph. The grin was whipped off his face, as the wind became stronger, it pulled the leaves off the trees and pulled up the dust and lose earth. It blinded Ozai and his men. Lifting there arms to cover their faces, the dagger was removed from Zuko's throat and Toph's arm was let go off.

The wind grow stronger, almost knocking people of the ground. Ozai gripped hold of Toph's arm when he noticed she was free from restraint except for the robe. Leaning in close to her. He whispered in her ear "You'll know where to find me." Then he let go and was gone.

Toph still unable to move her arms to bend, was left to the mercy of the wind as it was getting stronger. Eventually she was swept of her feet. It seemed to her that the world slipped away from her till she was pushed into a familiar pair off arms. It seemed rate simple to her. However Aang had, had to jump in at the right minute to catch her. She was close to landing in the stream that only a few minutes ago had sounded like thunder.

"Are you ok." If he had already untied her hands she would have punched him for that, she was so sick of being asked that question.

"What are you doing here." As she spoke he untied her arms before walking over to untie and check on Zuko.

She followed him, wanting an answer and to make sure Zuko was ok. "I came to help you." Toph was now untying the rope, as Aang helped Zuko to his feet. "And don't try and say you don't need my help. Because we both know that would be a lie. If I hadn't come then..."

"Ok. I get it, just don't push it." She smiled in his direction.

Zuko was coming too, and leaning against the tree. So Aang moved over to support Toph. He just took her hand in his. That was all he could do, and it was all he needed to do. Toph felt safe and calmer, she gave his hand a squeeze, before they walked to stand on either side of Zuko to help him to his feet. In silence they helped Zuko over to Appa. Who had landed on the ground again once things had calmed down again. Toph bent herself and Zuko onto the saddle and Aang bent himself to Appa's head. The silence lasted all the way to the fire nation capital. Both Aang and Toph had a lot to say to each other, but that would have to wait for a while. They could talk properly now not in front of the others.

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**Thank you for reading. I hope you are enjoying the story. I look forward to hopefully hearing any comments that you have on the story so far. **


	12. Chapter 12

The sun had long since fully set by the time Appa arrived back at the fire nation palace with his three tired passengers. Aang did what he could to make the landing as quite as possible as the others should be asleep by now and he didn't want to wake them. The main topic of conversation before all of this had been sleep deprivation with young children. He knew it was not wise to disturb the little sleep they did get.

Once they had landed he turned round to face Toph and Zuko. Toph had already pulled Zuko to his feet; he was starting to come around a little now. Before Aang could offer any help, she had jumped off the saddle taking Zuko with her. She seemed to be a keen as he was to get some rest, but not before talking to each other. Aang followed her lead, landing lightly on the ground next to Zuko. Once he was by their side, helping Zuko walk into the palace he finally noticed the patch of blood on her top.

"What happened." He sounded more panicked that he wanted.

"The wound opened up, its fine."

Luckily for Toph before Aang couldn't ask her any more questions as they were suddenly interrupted by a loud voice.

"What took you so long. The girls are starting to get really worried."

Sokka had offered to stay up, and wait for the others to return while Suki and Katara got some much needed sleep. He wouldn't admit it out loud but he had been worried too. His warriors pride had been dented by being left behind with the women and children. He understood what was, he just didn't like having to wait, sit on the side lines. When he reached them he took Zuko off of Toph's hands, by letting him lean against him as he walked his friend and brother in law back into the palace.

Aang and Toph walked behind them, they knew Sokka was talking but they weren't listening. Toph took Aang's hand in hers. "I'm glad you came." That was as close to a thank you as Aang was going to get, and he knew it.

"Me too."

He quickly lifted her hand to kiss it. He had just lowered it back down when Sokka turned round to look at them. Clearly expecting a response or answer to what he had been talking about. Aang I response offered his worried friend a faint smile and shrug of his shoulders. With a small smile and shack of his head Sokka turned back around. He understood, they needed a minute between them right now.

Before they could go to their room to talk and sleep, they found themselves cornered in Zuko's study by Suki and Sokka. Over the last few years Suki had developed a sixth sense for when one of her boys was up in the middle of the night. This sense had led her to the study. Katara been woken by baby Iroh's crying, and head the other talking. She had instating on healing Toph's cut and Zuko's head before taking him to bed. Sokka still felt left out, so he wanted to know everything that had happened, while he had been left behind. He also knew that it was best to talk about it all now, when they were all together and everything was still fresh in their minds.

"What did Azula say. Had Ozai been to see her." Toph was sitting in a chair with Sokka moving closer towards her as he asked each question. Feeling a little like she was being interrogated.

Aang was about to step in, but Toph beat him to it. She got to her feet, almost knocking Sokka over as he tried to move backwards. He was trying to avoid a punch, he was sure was going to be thrown his way.

"She is going to help us, she will let Ozai get her out. Then when he makes his move against us, she will turn on him. So no, he hasn't been to see her. Yet."

"How did you get her to agree to that." Suki was worried about the answer, but felt they had to know.

"I lied"

Aang moved over to Toph, wrapping his arms around her waist. He knew the importance of what she had just said. She never lied, at least not a total lie if she could help it. Even then it was done for the right reasons. It was a sense of honour with her. No one said anything for a few seconds, no one dared ask Toph any more questions.

"What did you find out from Roku." Toph didn't tilt her head to face Aang, instead she crossed her arms, taking hold of his arms. Holding him closer to her.

He rested his head on Toph's shoulder as he spoke as if he was only taking to Toph. Which in a way he was. "He said that only you can unlock the power. There is nothing Ozai can do. So he is no real treat." He knew that she would know he was lying, not telling everything he knew. He also knew that she would understand, this was a conversation they had to have on their own.

He knew what was said was not directed at him really, but Sokka nodded his head three or four times during the small speech. His mind working on his next plan, what they were going to do next. This was his specialist area. He was the idea guy. Formulating a plan made him feel less useless. "So tomorrow a group of us can go and search for him, then ..."

"I think we should leave the planning for tomorrow." Suki moved forward wrapping her arm around her husband as she spoke. "Let's go check on the kids before we go to bed" Suki was more observant than her husband, who she gentle pulled him out of the room.

"I think you need to get some rest too." Katara gentle pulled Zuko from his chair. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder he let her guide him out of the room. While letting out a deep breath, Katara wrapped both of her arms around Zuko's waist. She gave a quick glance back to Aang and Toph before they were left alone to talk. Aang shout her a smile, to say thank you.

Once they were alone Aang moved Toph around to face him so he could kiss her, while keeping his light hold on her waist. "I am so glad to see you."

"It's only been a day, not even..." She was quickly silenced by another kiss.

"Don't make me say something mushy. Like I miss you when I don't see you for..." Toph this time silenced him with a hand over his month.

She gave him a look that told him to stop with the romantic talk, he didn't have to tip toe around her. She was no longer angry at him, she was ready to talk about the serious stuff now. "What else did he say."

Aang didn't answer. He slipped his hands from her waist to take her hand as she dropped hers to her sides, and led her out the room, along the corridor and up the stairs to their room. Toph let him lead her, she knew that he was going to answer her question, he just wanted to do with a bit more privacy. He never kept anything for her. Well, he had only kept one thing from her. He only did that to protect her. So she could forgive him for that, as long as he never did anything like that again.

**I know that this was a boring and short chapter, but I needed to bridge to the next chapter. The next few chapter will be a payoff, of what has been built up to. So thank you for reading. **


	13. Chapter 13

**I hope that you are enjoying the story. **

**TaangFanToph. I am glad you liked it, thank you. **

Aang reluctantly let Toph's hand go, when they entered their room. He then moved over to open the doors onto the balcony. Hoping some air would calm the situation. The action of walking over and opening the door he hoped would give him a little more time to think through the best way to tell her all that he had found out in way that would make sense, especially when he didn't fully understand it all himself. Toph closed the door behind her, then leaned against it. Needing the support. Neither of them wanted to be the one to break the silence, but one of them had to.

"What else did he say." Toph's voice seemed out of place in the silent room.

Aang was avoiding looking at her, he gazed out at the stars. "Don't waist anytime with the pleasantries do you. Straight to the point, that's really rude you know." He tried to smile, but he couldn't.

"So is avoiding answering a direct question."

He now found he smile a little. "Yeah, but it's not as rude as….."

"Aang." Her voice was still very low, but it was enough to get through to him.

Aang finally turned to face her and slowly made his way over to where she was standing. Stopping half way, to sit on the bed. After letting out a deep breath, Aang finally answered her. "You can unlock the power of the avatar sprite in you by opening the seven chakras." His eyes never left the floor in front of him.

Toph nodded her head along with his words. "And the rest."

At this minute Aang hated that Toph could read him so well. It was so hard to keep things from her, even when you were trying to do so for her own good. "Ozai is just a puppet, Koh is behind it all."

None of this was really making any sense to Toph. She had heard Aang talking about all of this stuff before, but she never thought in a million year that any of it would ever have anything to do with her. She wasn't even sure she knew for sure who Koh was. Finding out she was the fated sprite was hard enough to understand, but to find out that she didn't fit into what that normally meant. That was almost impossible for her to get her head around. She was a person of facts, she liked what she could see, feel. It was necessary for her to live like that to survive. Walking towards Aang bridging the gap between them, Toph made her decision about what she was going to do now. There was only one way she knew how to deal with things like that.

"I'm going to deal with this my..."

"No! You are not going anywhere near Ozai." Aang was now on his feet, looking down on Toph from the few inches he had on her.

She knew he was going to react like this, but she wasn't going to back down. "It's me he's after."

"Yeah and how is it you plan to deal with it. Force is not going to help you with this."

She knew that was true, but it was all she had. It was the only way she knew how to deal with a situation like this. In the back of her mind was a voice that told her to listen to him, he knew what he was talking about. More so than she did. A lot more than she did. There was just one thought that kept going through her head that stopped her from doing what he instincts told her to.

"I'm not going to let anyone get hurt because of me."

Aang didn't have a comeback for that. There had been times when he had felt the same way, but this was different. At the time it felt like it was because of him, now with time adding a new perspective on everything. It was for an ideal, the freedom that they sided with him, what he represented. Not him himself. He could try and tell this to Toph, but she wouldn't understand. It had taken him years of distance to see it all clearly himself. He however was not going to let anything happen to Toph, he would do whatever it took to stop that from happening.

"Toph you know I can't let you do that." As he spoke he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I will do anything to keep you from danger, even if you are the one that is putting you in danger."

Tears started to build up in Toph's eyes. She really didn't want to have to do this, she would hate herself for it but he wasn't leaving her with any other choice. The rational part of her brain was being silenced by an over welling desire to end all of this whatever it took.

Rather than pushing his hands off her, she shrugged them off. Her words came out cold and emotionless. "I don't have to do what you tell me too."

"I love you, I think that gives me some right to..."

"I don't love you!"

She never meant to yell it out like that, but she had to make him stop talking. For once in her life Toph was grateful that she was blind, she didn't want to see the look on his face, feeling his heart rate almost stop was bad enough.

Once the shock had worn off a little Aang tried to force a weak smile, it only lasted a second. "What are you talking about. Toph you're really scaring me." His hold on her shoulders tightened a little as he moved her a little closer towards him.

Taking a deep breath, to gain some strength Toph answered her husband. "I'm sorry, but I don't love you."

Aang's hold on her by her arms tightened even more. He was using more force than he had intended "Aang you're hurting me."

"Then we did you marry me, twice! What was that..."

Aang was starting to shake Toph, she had never seen him get this anger with her. It really scared her. "I was trapped, you gave me a way out. To get away from my father I would have done anything and you only said you were falling in love with me. Then you spring that you are in love with me, and a wedding. I couldn't say anything. Then….I got pregnant and..."

"I bet you were glad when our baby died. You got your way out! Didn't you." Toph couldn't feel her arms any more, Aang was holding on so tightly. She was scared of him now, but he had just pushed her too far.

"YES! Yes I was glad."

Before he knew what he was doing Aang had let Toph's left arm go, as he lifted his right hand back. He saw her flinch, turn her head away. The fear in her eyes was the worst part. He dropped his hand to his side. He would like to think that he would have stopped himself if he hadn't caught her eyes. The truth was he didn't know for sure.

"Go." His voice was almost a whisper. Toph was now free to move his hands off her shoulders, but she didn't. "Just go!"

When she was able to focus again Toph was on the other side of the closed door. All of the air in her body left her, as did the strength in her legs, as she sank to the ground. The tears she had held back, now fell. Her heart was beating so fast, she thought it might burst through her chest. Once she had wiped the tears away, and got her breath back Toph got to her feet, and walked along the corridor. She knew that he was going to react badly, but she never imagined he would react like that. He really did love her. She had just lied to someone's face for the second time that day, and in her life.

None of what she said was true, she loved him, now more than ever. That was why she had lied to him, to keep him from getting hurt because of her. She had to deal with Ozai on her own, this was all about her, so she would be the one to end it. Aang would never let her go, so she lied.

She told herself that there was a way to put it right when this was over, but now she wasn't sure. Aang might not want to hear what she had to say, or he might not believe her. She told herself that if that did happen, she could live with it, as long as Aang was alive. No matter how much she told herself something, she could never fully believe herself.

**Thank you for reading. I hope that you liked it. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you for reading. I hope you like the new chapter. **

**Ayimsilentbunny. Thank you so much. I am so glad that you liked the chapter. I was really worried about this chapter because yes, you were meant to want to hit Toph. Also I hop understand why she did what she did. **

**TaangFanToph. Yes there is and more to come. Thank you.**

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It took Toph the whole night to get to where she was going. Ozai had said she would know where to find him, and she was sure she knew where he was going to be. The mongoose dragon she had borrowed to get her there faster was starting to get slower. After all it was the one doing all the work. She just had to hold on to the rains. This unfortunately gave her time to think. Her mind should have been on what she was doing, but she couldn't get Aang out of her head. She had never felt him so angry, broken and it was all her fault.

The idea, if it got to the point where she would have to use it seemed like a good idea at the time. As long as Aang loved her, he would do anything to keep her out of danger. So she had to stop him from loving her. Now that she had gone through with the plan, it didn't seem like a good idea. It now seemed like the worst idea she had ever had.

Toph was never good at seeing anything positive about her personality, but she always knew what her negative qualities where. This was her biggest one, having to do everything herself. She did it to keep him out of danger, because she loved him. He loved her too, maybe if she had tried talking to him more about it, he would have understood. Of course he would have. The truth was maybe she didn't want him to. It wasn't about protecting him, not really. This was just what she did when faced with a problem ran towards it on her own, pushing the people that could help her away. She just had to prove she could do it herself. She hated herself now, but there was no going back now.

Aang couldn't understand what had just happened. He went over what was said in his mind and felt like a total idiot. If he hadn't gotten so angry, like he knew now she was trying to make him, then he would have seen it. She was lying, every word had been a lie. He gave her a choice and she choose him. He knew that she was lying and he knew why. She did it to keep him out of it. The only way she could give Ozai his bending back, or be of any use to Koh was if she unlocked her chakras. Now that she knew that she would be aware of that, stop it. Ozai must know this to. So why go after her. She could return his bending, but he could give the fire lord back his bending. Ozai was going to use Toph to get to him, and she knew it.

As he made his way out of the Palace, following the tracks left by the mongoose dragon from his glider. He thought of Toph. Would she want him to come after her. He had yelled at her, lashed out at her. He almost hit her. In a way that all made him want to find her more. To let her know that he was sorry and that he knew she was lying.

The fort seemed bigger than it had only a day before. After she had sent the mongoose dragon back, Toph made her way towards the main door. Like before she saw the metal room, and there was one person in it, but a different one.

The sun was just starting to rise, as she entered the cold room "I knew you would come." Toph stopped after she took a few steps into the room. Ozai now walked towards her. "You are drawn to the fire, the danger. You always have been. It makes you feel alive." As he spoke he circled around her, his eyes burning her. What he was saying was true, but she would never let on it got to her.

"What did you do to Azula." The question had been on her mind since she arrived, she had tried to ignore it. She had an idea of what the answer was going to be, and she knew it was her fault.

Ozai stopped behind her, he leaned in close to her ear to answer her question. "She is gone, that is all you need to know." Toph was now clenching her fists. "I think you were wrong. You think that you and Azula were alike, but I think it is you and I that are alike."

He didn't have to say any more, Toph got the point. Azula was dead and it was her fault. He was letting her know that it was the lie she had told her that lead to her death. She believed it enough to feel the need to stand up to her father. Maybe she hadn't been the monster she believed her to be. Maybe she was just a lost little girl wanting love and acceptance. She could understand that.

"You are a..."

"I think it is a little hypocritical for you to taking the moral high ground. Witch" He was now facing her. Towering over her. "What exactly did you say to the avatar to let him allow you to come here on your own."

Toph's hands where no bleeding, as she was clenching her hands so tightly. Ozai knew he was pushing her to lash out at him, but she was more controlled than he expected.

Again he leaned in to whisper in her ear "You really think you love him don't you. Don't you understand, you are drawn to danger, excitement that is why you are here now. It's also what draws you to him. The danger of being with the avatar." Her heart was telling her that none of what he had just said was true, but a part of her head said it did make sense.

"You have more power than he does. If you just embraced it. You could rule the world, you would be the most powerful being in the world. Together we could rule the world."

His long fingers now pulled her chin up, so he could look her in the eyes. Her eyes frightened him. They seemed to him to be dead. There was no life in them. It was like looking into the eyes of a corpse. He was seeing himself in her eyes. His true reflection staring right back at him. Unlike other people's eyes that showed themselves, their soul, Toph's to those that didn't look closely enough, were a mirror of their own soul. He couldn't let his discomfort show. Toph already knew.

Her face gave away nothing "Your right. I am drawn to him, and I don't care why. I would be the most powerful thing in the world, but I don't what that power, I will never use it."

Ozai took a step back, as if Toph was fire, he couldn't get close too, now looking at her in full, he saw how rigid she was standing. It was taking all of her control not to kill him already.

"But you are wrong about the rest. We could never rule the world. You will never get that kind of power." Her trade make evil grin, now crossed her face. He really didn't see what was going on. "Koh is using you like a puppet."

Even thou Toph didn't know what Koh's real plan was, she still knew more than Ozai and could use it against him. For a brief minute a real smile appeared on her face, but it couldn't stay. Before ether of then had a chance to say any more, they were joined by a third person.

Aang took a defensive stanch as he entered the room. He should have been watching Ozai, but he couldn't take his eyes off Toph. Who still had the hint of a smile on her face. He always had a knack for showing up a just the right time he was needed, even if it wasn't planed that way.

Trying to remain in control Ozai was the first to speak. "It is so nice of you to join us avatar. I was just having a very interesting conversation with your beautiful wife." He moved to take a step toward Toph that was too much for Aang.

"Get away from her!"

As she spoke he moved forward bending a current of air to knock Ozai back against the opposite wall. Seeing that he had managed to anger the Avatar, gave Ozai a little bit more hope that his plan might still be pulled off. His lowered head as he pulled himself back to his feet hid a cold grin.

It happened so quickly Aang wasn't sure what had happed. Ozai lifted his right arm then swiped it back down. As he did this a dagger flew out of his sleeve, towards Aang. Before he could move his guilder to block it Aang was pushed to the ground. A second later he bent himself back into his feet. He saw Toph was now standing in front of him. Her back was to him, as she faced Ozai. Making it impossible to see her face, tell what she was thinking. To try and get an idea he lowered his gaze to look her over. Shockingly he noticed the dagger imbedded in her arm.

Before she spoke, Toph pulled the dagger out and dropped it to the floor. "That is enough. I don't care anymore. You are going to be stopped, whatever it takes. I am not going to let someone I love or anyone get hurt because of me."

Aang was about to reach out to Toph, when Ozai spoke again. There was something different about him. It reminded Aang of the last time he had been near the former fire lord, he seemed to be losing control. From what he had been told of Azula it seemed that this reaction to things not going the way you had so carefully planned seemed to run in the family. This side of the family at least. Luckily for him Zuko at his worst, all the times they had fought had never ended up like this.

"You would die for him." Toph didn't answer she didn't have to. The look in her eyes said it all. As did the look in Aang's that he would do the same for her. "You would give up your life, all that connects you to this world for him. You would give everything up." He seemed to be on the verge of a break down. His words growing louder as he went on.

Toph stood strong, and defiant as she answered him "Yes I would."

A second later Toph let out a scream, as she placed her hands on the top of her head. She was biting her lip, to keep from screaming again. Aang was by her side, wrapping his arms around her, as Ozai's laughter filled the room.

"She just opened the last chakra gate."

Soon his laughter was mixed with another scream from Toph.

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**Thank you very much for the reviews. If you have any other comments please review or pm me. Thanks. **


	15. Chapter 15

As he held on to her Aang could feel warmth coming from her. It was like fire, but her skin was ice cold. Her heart rate was racing as she struggled to get her breathing to steady. Ozai had stopped laughing, but the cruel grin remained, as he kept his eyes on the avatar and his wife. Her brows knitted together by the strain of trying to hold back what left like the very air that she needed to take in to live.

"What have you done to her." His grip on Toph lessened, as his anger for Ozai took over again and the warmth coming from her became too strong for him to be as close to.

Ozai's eyes were now set on only Toph. "I did nothing. Only she could open the chakra gates."

"You twisted her words, to make ..."

"I admit that in a way that is true, but it all comes down to her. I never would have expected she would have opened all the other chakra gates. She really is a very impressive person."

Aang now looked at Toph. She was silent, as she held on to her head, concentrating on her breathing. It seemed as if she was unaware about what was going on around her. Normally if she heard anyone talking about her, she would have a comeback for them, but not this time. This time she was locked in her own world, her own struggle. One that he could do little to help her with. Seeing her like this was disturbing. Seeing someone you care about in so much pain, unable to control or think of anything else. For a moment he wondered if this was how people saw him when he slipped into the avatar state out of anger. If it was he felt guilty for making them see something like this. It was terrifying.

"She opened the first gate earth which is opened by survival when she was born. She had to fight to survive, even from such a young age. How sad." Ozai was enjoying taunting the avatar.

His arms now let go of Toph, as he turned to fully face the former fire lord. "How do you know that."

A little laugh left Ozai' month as he answered the question. "Koh filled me in on what he knew. The rest is assumption on my part." Instead on continuing Ozai took a pause and glanced once again at Toph as she let out a faint grown of pain to further annoy Aang. "The second gate water opened by pleasure was opened when she started to earthbend. The only joy in her life has been earthbending, as that is when she feels most alive." He didn't need to notice people's heart beats, to know that Aang's must be racing now.

Aang was well aware that Toph pushed herself so hard, put herself in dangerous situations for a reason. To feel a rush so that she felt alive. It was the idea that someone else saw that about her too that got to him. It was the most privet part of who Toph was, she had only let him see that side of her. Like some of her scars and the freckles on her back, he had been so sure, so proud in a way that only he had seen.

"I think it is clear to say that the fire gate was opened, by how determined she is. When she believes she is right. Her willpower is very impressive. She really never gives up dose she."

Again he paused. Waiting for an answer that he would never get. It didn't matter, he already knew that answer. It was a clear yes. The same however when pushed far enough could be said about the man that would not answer the rhetorical question.

The silence was broken by Toph, as she let out another scream. She bit her lip even harder to keep it from letting out another one. Aang pulled her as close to him as he could. The heat she was giving off was stronger now, but Aang ignored it. He just had to feel her in his touch. To know that she was still there.

"I will never forgive you for this." The fury in his eyes sent a shiver down Ozai's spine, but he had the upper hand so he remained calm.

"It is not me that has done this to the fated spirit, it is you that has done this." Aang's eyes looked Down at Toph. Her head was buried in his robe, he couldn't see her face, just the top of her head, but he felt what must be tears of pain and strain pulling onto his robe. "She loves you, that love. Real love opened the fourth gate. Isn't it interesting that that is the air gate, and you are the only airbender left. It's almost like it was planned."

Aang knew that he was being taunted to get him to react, but he wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of getting a reaction out of him. While he listened to his words he focused all of his energy onto Toph. Letting her know in the small way of holding her that he was there. He lowered his head to Toph's ear. "I will fix this, I promise." He whispered so only she would hear.

Toph had heard everything that was being said, but she felt like she was in a different world to them. All of her strength was used to keep her breathing steady, and to remain calm. Aang's voice had been the first thing that had reached her in her own world of pain. For that second the pain was gone, and she had hope that it was going to be ok. He would find a way to fix this, she believed in him. He did have a way of doing what many thought of as being impossible.

"I believe that admitting that she loved you, was what opened the fifth gate, Truth. For someone that can see the truth so clearly, she keeps a lot to herself doesn't she. It must be hard to trust her."

The hands he had placed on Toph's back were pulled into fists. This was the closet the disgraced former fire lord had been to getting a reaction out of the young avatar. He could see the truth in what he had been told, he had played a part in Toph opening the chakra gates. He was the person she loved more than anyone in the world, and he had forced her to admit that she did love him. Would he have stopped himself from letting her know that he loved her, if he had known this would be the outcome of it. He didn't have the answer to that. He would like to think that he would be selfless and not tell her to save her. He knew he would have done that before. Now that he had her, he was selfish and didn't want to lose her.

"You must have opened the sixth gate for her. Telling her that she was the fated spirit, gave her the insight into who, what she really is. Then by saving you, she was willing to give up her earthly attachments, her life opening the seventh gate. You did all the work for me. Thank you avatar."

Reluctantly letting Toph go Aang walked towards Ozai. The fury in his eyes was clear to see. "I am going to do what I should have done over eight years ago." The hint of grin now on his face. "I'm going to end this one and for all."

Ozai's eyes quickly turned from Aang to Toph. "Shouldn't you be taking care of your wife." The way he said it, made Aang want to kill him there and then, but he couldn't help turning to look at Toph.

She was now standing up straight. Her breathing was faster. Her normally clouded jade eyes now glowed a bright dark green. Aang had always though that her eyes where jade rather than white, as he saw sparks of deep green in them. He thought of her eyes, and her blindness as the sun being blocked by the clouds. If you looked close enough you could see the rays from the sun shining throw the cloud. Now the clouds had finally cleared.

"Toph." He moved to reach her. before he reached her, he was blinded by a green light that filled the room., the everything turned black.

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**I know not a lot happened in this chapter, and it might be boring, but I wanted to explain about the chakra gates. I think they needed to be explained in this context. I hope you are liking the story. As before please review, thank you. **


	16. Chapter 16

Aang slowly opened his eyes to find himself looking up at the clear blue sky. The fort that they had been in, was now reduced to nothing but rubble. When he felt his legs would carry his weight again, he pulled himself very carefully to his feet. He didn't trust his legs to move yet, but his eyes darted around looking for any sign of Toph.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a small pale hand that stuck out form a pile of stone. It was the bracelet around the wrist that gave away who the hand belonged to. It was the bracelet he had given to her eight years ago. Forgetting about his distrust of his legs, Aang ran towards the hand. Falling to his knees when he reached it, he started to move the stones out of the way. As he continued to do this he called out her name, letting her know he was there. When he made removed the rubble from her, he placed his arm under her neck, pulling her head up to rest on his shoulder. One last time he called out her name, this time he whispered it.

Her eyes stared to twitch, before they opened properly. Aang never took his eyes off of hers. For the split second when her eyes fully opened, Aang saw a flash of the deep green that was there before, before her eyes returned to jade. Toph slowly pushed herself up to sit on her own. As she did her face brushed against Aang's check. Her breath on his face, sent a shiver down his spine.

"Are you ok." He had never heard so much concern in her voice before.

A smile crossed his face for a second, before he answered. "I'm fine." placing his hands on her shoulders, he pulled her closer kissing her before resting his head on her shoulder. "How are you."

She didn't answer. Slowly she pulled away "Ozai."

She was on her feet, and making her way towards the former fire lord, before Aang could stop her. He followed her, watching her stumbling a little made him aware how unsteady he was walking as well. With one quick movement of her arm, the rubble that had covered Ozai was blown off. Aang reached her side as she was about to fall to her knees. He followed her to the ground. Placing her hand over Ozia's chest, where his heart should be, she bent the piece of shrapnel that was moving through his blood to stay in the one place, to keep it from his heart.

She didn't say anything, but Aang figured out what she was doing. The tension in her arm. Let him know that she was bending. The blood on his robe let him know, that Ozai had been hit. Lifting his gaze from her hands up her arms he noticed that they had a few cuts and bruises on them. Looking down he noticed that he too had his fair share of cuts and bruises from what had just happened.

Her eyes looked like they were about to close again, so Aang finally stepped in. He placed his arm under hers, and pulling her arms into her chest. He then pulled her in towards his chest. Her arms were pulled pinned between his arm and her chest. So she could no longer use them. Aang rested his chin on her shoulder. Her back was pressed against his chest, he could feel her heart beat racing.

"You can't keep that up forever." He again whispered into her ear.

"It's my fault, what am I going to tell Zuko. I can..."

"You have to let it go." his quiet voice, calmed her down.

They both knew that if Toph stopped bending the metal, Ozai was going to die. As she clenched her eyes shut, a single tear rolled down her face. It wasn't just for Ozai, it was for Azula, Zuko and in a way for herself and what she was scared she had lost.

"It's all my fault."

"No it…."

"Yes it is! I was wrong. I should have listened to you."

"Can I get that in writing."

She shook her head. Ignoring his attempt at a lightening the situation. "You can't fight all the time."

"You can't run away all the time either."

Aang held Toph tighter, as he pulled her to her feet leading her out of the rubble. He wanted to go on and tell that, that was why they needed each other. To balance the other. He just wanted to get her away from here as soon as possible before they talked anymore. Out of habit Toph's hand reached up, to take hold of the pendant on her mother's necklace. Her hand dropped to her side, the second she touched the pendant. There was only half of the pendent attached to the black material that tided around her neck.

Almost knocking Aang over Toph turned round to go back, and start searching for the other half of her necklace. Aang followed her, he didn't have to pull her away again. This time her body gave out and she almost feel over. In one quick movement Aang had her in his arms, pulled out his glider and flew them back to the fire nation capital.

Toph was still out of it when they returned. Katara looked her over even though she was clearly just suffering from exhaustion. Once she had told him that Toph was going to be ok, he filled the others in on what had happened. He left out the fight they had, had before they left. He hoped if he ignore it, then so would Toph. After all it was all a lie anyway. Zuko had remained very calm. He let out a quiet sigh of sadness, for his sister and father. Then he put it out of his mind. He had a family of his own now, that was what was most important to him. A small part of him would always wonder what could have been, but that was pointless.

After he had rested, Aang was about to leave to go back to the fort. He planned to bury Ozai's body, and look for the missing half of Toph's necklace. Zuko surprised him by going with him. A small burial was held for the former fire lord at sun set. Attended only by the fire lord and the avatar. The two people he had seen as his greatest enemies. It a way that was fitting, as they were the people that has known him the best.

The first thing Aang did when they returned as the sun fully set was go to his and Toph's room. She was sitting by the window, as he entered the room. The second he was in the room, Toph was on her feet. Before he had a chance to say anything she had thrown her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said." As she spoke he wrapped his arms around her. "It's all my fault. I lied and two people died, and you hate me..."

"Toph, calm down." Aang slowly pulled his head of her shoulder, so he could look her in the eyes. "You are even cuter when you get wound up like that, but you have to calm down."

Taking a deep breath Toph lowered her head. She was shocked that he was treating the whole things o lightly. That had to be his way of dealing with it. Being in no position to argue with that as her way had literally blown up in her and his face, she couldn't say anything. That was why she was acting the way she was now. It was unlike her, but acting her way clearly hadn't worked.

"I know you didn't mean what you said." As he spoke Aang used his right hand to left her head up, to face him again. "I love you." Slowly he lowered his head down to reach hers.

"I love you."

Toph's hands slide up Aang's arms to wrap around his neck, as his hands travelled up her back. After a few minutes they broke apart. They rested their foreheads on each other's, each with a small smile on their faces.

"It's going to be ok."

He didn't have to say anything more, they both they what he was saying. For the second time that day Toph's hand reached for the pendant that was in half. Aang noticed this, he reached in to the pocket in his trousers and pulled out a piece of silver, and a piece of bronze.

"I was thinking you could fix your necklace with this." Taking her right hand in his, he placed one of the pieces in her hand. A faint smile appeared on her face as Toph ran her fingers over the engraving on the piece of bronze.

"This is from master gyatso tag." As she spoke her left hand reached out to touch the tag Aang wore around his neck. When she had it in her hand she could feel that it too was now in half.

"Well, I was thinking that you could fix my tag, with this." He placed the piece of silver in her hand. She didn't have to feel the engraving to know that it was the missing piece from her necklace.

A huge grin crossed her face. "How did you find this."

"It took a while." Still holding the pieces of their necklaces in her hands, Toph through her arms around his neck again.

She whispered in his ear. "Yin and yang."

He knew she would understand what he was trying to do with the necklaces, but he kind of hoped she wouldn't say anything about it. It sounded very mushy said out loud. He pulled his head back, so he could look at her. "Yeah. Earth and air."

"Light and dark." Toph couldn't help but continue the conversation, know that it was embarrassing Aang. "The avatar and the fate..."

"Aang and Toph."

He stopped her from continuing, he wanted her to know that he didn't just see them as something that was fated. Something that he only wanted because it was meant to be, set out by someone else. It wasn't about what had happened in the past, right now it was them, just them. No fate, destiny or spirits controlling them. They were just two people that loved each other, that made each other whole.

"Two half's of a whole."

She whispered this into his ear, then pulled back to return the kiss he was about to initiate. As they kissed Aang pulled Toph closer, and lifted her off the floor carrying her to the bed. Toph still held the two pieces of their necklaces in her hands.

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**I hope that you are still reading and enjoying the story. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey, thank you for the reading. It is so weird to be this close to ending the whole story for good again. There are still a few chapters to go with this one before I move onto the penultimate part.**

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A few days after everything had come to a head Toph and Aang left the fire nation. They acted like nothing had change, like none of what happened had really happened. Toph had been the one to start this act, and Aang went along with it. If this was how she was dealing with what had happened then he was going to respect that. That fact that she had let herself open up to him, stopped him from worrying to much about this. As it showed she was not completely shutting off all that had happened.

He had only once come close to questioning her on her state of mind, before they left the fire nation. They had been talking about where they were going to go to, and Toph had suggested that they go to the southern air temple. He knew that Toph had not found living there pleasant, when they lived there two years ago. She had disliked it so much that they only lived there for a season. So why did she want to go back there. The only answer that he could get from her on the subject was that, it meant a lot to him and she wanted him to be happy. As caring as Toph could be he knew that she would, never let herself be trapped somewhere for anyone. Not even him.

His concern was pushed away, as she seemed to be dealing with everything very well. Yes she was ignoring it, but she was acting like her old self again. Not just the Toph that he had married, but the Toph that he had first met her. He had thought that Toph was gone that, that part of her only been buried. He knew it was an act, and over exaggeration in part to make himself better. Let it didn't over worry him. He believed that if she wanted to, then she would talk to him.

That old Toph had kept her feeling hidden, never showing any emotion. Over the years she has learned to open up more. Now she was putting on a mask again. The last thing she wanted to do was make Aang and the other worry about her anymore. So she acted the way she knew they wanted her to act like. When she had first joined them, all those years ago, she had kept up the act of the blind bandit. That was the way they had first met her, the way they had asked her to join them. The way they needed her to be. The strong one.

There were times when she felt so disconnected from Aang, but at the same time so connected to the earth, the world. It was as if her form of sight had only let her see so far, now she was able to see further, deeper than before. It was scary, but a good scary. Like when she first leaned to earthbend, left to travel with Aang and the others and when she realised that she was in love with Aang. It made her feel stronger, more powerfully. Like she saw things, understood things that no one else did.

One night she lay sleeping in her bed, with Aang's arms wrapped around her waist pulling her close to him. He had long since realised that on the nights that she tossed and turned, that best thing to do was pull her close, so she wasn't able to move around as much and was forced to stay still and sleep. It was an action that had become a habit for him. She had only slept for an hour or so when she was woken by a voice. The words the voice said weren't clear, but she knew what they were telling her, what she had to do.

Toph herself had not been sure why she had been so insistent that they return to the southern air temple. Now it became clear in her head, it was the closest place they could go to, to the swamp.

Slowly as not to wake Aang she slipped from his arms and pulled herself out of bed. It was like her body was moving on its own accord and Toph was standing in the back watching herself move by feeling the movement on the stone floor. Not even her bare feet touching the clod stone floor brought her to her senses. She dressed as if she was preparing for battle. The brown boots were tucked into the brown trousers. A white wrap top was pulled on, then over that a black leather bodices with a hint of green to it. Her grandfather's gauntlets and her meteor bracelet finished the outfit.

She pulled the dagger she had stolen for a man that tried to use it on her out of the small draw by her bed side. Toph always kept this dagger close and took it with her, if she felt it was necessary. Rather than attaching it to her belt, she took hold of her hair in her left hand, as she cut it with the dagger in her right hand. Her hair had reached the middle of her back now it was an inch longer than her shoulder. Pulling the front strands of her hair back, she moved to leave the room.

Out of habit, her hand reached for the necklace around her neck. As her fingers touched the new part of the pendant, she became aware of herself again. Her resolve was still the same, but she couldn't let herself leave like this.

She sat at the Small desk Aang used by the door. She knew how to read, by picking up on the earth in the ink. Writing was more difficult, she only knew a few words. She bent the ink from its jar, and wrote one of those words on the paper.

Folding the paper she placed it, on the table next to Aang's side of the bed.

"I love you."

Her voice was so low, she almost didn't hear herself.

The paper was left for Aang to read when he woke up. She hoped he would know what it meant. She had just written understand.

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**I know boring and short, but I need a way to link the last chapter to the next one. The whole hair cutting thing, was a way to make her look like Ummi, as her hair would be longer by know, by cutting it, it would be the same length as Ummi's, and pulling it back was to be like Ta Min's style without the top knot. As they were the fated spirits before her, I thought I would be nice to have a like connection. The one world that she writes, is a call back to before they were married and Aang asked her to understand that he had to fight Zuko in a agni Kai. He wrote her a letter asking her to understand. **


	18. Chapter 18

Toph stood in the centre of the swamp a few hours after she had slipped out of the air temple. She was standing on a small patch of earth. There was something so different about this place, she felt calmer here than she had done in a long time. She felt in control for the first time in a long time. Since the incident with Ozai she had felt like she had, had to remain in constant control of her emotions. The fear that she could lose control, again and hurt anyone was always on her mind.

Her right arm was straightened out in front of her, and then she slowly pulled it in to her. She was trying to feel the tide coming and going, and take control of it. Since the chakra gated had been opened she had wanted to try and see if she could bend any other element. There had been a few times since all of this happened that she felt that if she concentrated hard enough see could bend another element. Fear had kept her from trying, pushing this thought forward. After she had been doing this for a while, the tide was moving in sync with the movements of her hand.

An over welling sense of power started to build up inside of her. She had felt like this when she had first been able to bend the earth. She had felt invincible. Even when she invented metalbending, or mastered bonebending and plants she had never felt this strong. It was the strength that came from seeing right in front of you what you were capable off. The stronger you got the harder it was to feel that way, because you knew that you were getting close to the point where you couldn't get any better. There was no were else to go from there, except down.

"You may be the strongest earthbender in the world, but you will never match the avatars power. Unless you let me help you."

She hadn't seen him coming, but she didn't flinch or say anything.

"That power is too much for you to control, your body is too weak. I can help you, let me help you."

Before Koh could move any closer to her, Toph stuck her hands out in front of her. She then spun round to the left. As she did this a large stream of the water she had bend trying to take control off followed her movements. It hit the spirit but did not knock it over. Not that it was meant to. He had tried to pick on her biggest insecurity, that her body wasn't strong enough for her heart and drive that it would let her down again. He had also underestimated her, for that she had been able to lay a hit on him.

She was still standing her head lowered to the ground. "Never underestimate me." She knew now all that there was to know about Koh the face stealer. How she knew all that she did about him, the swamp and the spirit world now was unknown to her.

"I see you are stronger than the last. You still have the same face, such delicate features." As much as she now knew about him, he knew as much about her. That was why he chose delicate to describe her. She hated being seen that way. "You carry yourself with the same noble grace, like a lady." That was a very low blow. She was a lady, a disowned one, but still a lady of noble blood.

Slowly Toph lifted her head to face Koh. Her jade eyes were now deep green. She was clearly using her power. "Ah, I see you have the same bright eyes, as one of your other past lives." As he spoke his voice changed to a female voice. She couldn't see it, but she was now facing the face of her past life Ummi. Bright green and bright blue eyes now looked right into each other.

"From what I have heard of you, you have the same bravery and loyalty as..."

"Shut up." She never raised her voice, or moved an inch, but her voice was clear and silenced the familiar, let new voice.

Koh now returned to his original face "I am sorry, is there something you wanted to say." A cruel laugh finished his words.

"Yes. I know what you are doing, what your plan is. You want my face, my power so you can leave the spirit world. You were going to use Ozai, to take over the world. Then you would betray him, taking the entire world for yourself. You failed to take Aang's face, so you're after mine. You led him to me, so we would find each other" She paused taking a deep breath before she continued, while a cold grin crossed her face. "You know that I have part of the avatar spirit as well. So as well as having the knowledge I do, I have the power too. I am more powerful than Aang."

An evil grin crossed the face stealer face. "Then use that power. With Ozai gone we can take the word for our self's. Release me into the world. Together we..."

Toph's laughing silenced him. It was a deep evil laugh, and her face now had an evil grin to match his on it. Her eyes were set on him. "You idiot. I am more powerful than the avatar, do you really thing I could be beaten by you. Your little ability doesn't work on me."

Koh had never imagined that Toph would have gained this much control over her power this soon, she really was a very special person. "You seem to know everything. So I am sure you are aware that you cannot kill me."

"Of course I know that. That is not why I am here." As she talked she lifter her right arm to shoulder level, her hand was out stretched. A ball of fire appeared in her hand. She began to move her finger, causing the fire to move in different directions. "You were right, when you said that I was too weak to control this power. In part, out there where I have to control it all the time in case I hurt people, it is too much for me." She now clenched her hand into a fist, extinguishing the fire. "But here, I don't have to control it. I can let it out. This place is connected to the spirit world, it contains the power."

Once she finished taking she let out a deep sigh, as she bent two small pebbles from the ground into her hand. Turing her had palm facing upwards, she bent the air around them to make them spin in a small circle. "I see why Aang finds this so interesting now." For the briefest second a smile crossed her face, but it was quick gone. She couldn't let herself think about Aang. She had been speaking to herself, but koh heard every word.

"You're trapping yourself here. I know you better than even your precious avatar. That is the last thing you would want to do. Be trapped in a cage again, all because of this power." He was trying to get to her again, but she could see right through it.

While he had been talking, Toph had stretched her arm out and spun the upper part of her body round to face the water behind her. The pebbles skimmed over the water six times before they sank. That was Toph's personal best.

Again she turned to face the younger spirit. "I can see the earth so much clearer here and the water and air. I can feel it all and see through it. This power, this strength it is..." She bent fire in one hand, and bent a ground of small rocks around the other. The felling of power, strength pure energy was building up inside her again, she was just able to pull herself back. Her hands feel to her sides clenched as she concentrated in her breathing.

"To much for you."

"Not if I practise and stay here. I wouldn't hurt anyone." Her breathing was now controlled.

Koh let out a low sigh. "Such a kind heart, so selfless. Your heart is too big for..."

Be wasn't able to finish as the ground under him began to shake. A huge stream of lose earth, dust bent by Toph was sent at him. It didn't knock him over, but it clouded his vision. He never saw the huge spike coming towards him. The earth spike was set on fire just before it hit him.

_Your body. _That was what he was going to say, it had been what her grandfather had said to her.

Her heart started to race, as the extent of what she had done washed over her. That power, it was rushing through her. She knew that Koh wasn't really hurt, but the strength and power of the attack affected her. It wasn't the same power as she felt when she bent a powerful earthbending attack, this felt very different darker. Unnatural.

The dust clearer and Koh was once again able to see the fated spirit. She let out a deep breath before lifting her right hand and moving it to swipe at the air behind her. The tree directly behind her was marked with a line from the air strike she had just bent. "That part if you hit it will go right through m chest, my heart killing me instantly."

"Why would you tell me that."

"Because I understand you. I can't imagine what it is like to watch everyone around you die. To slowly watch at the world its self dies. The spirit inside me had been around for thousands of years, but it is always a different life. I think you want to be free, so you can truly live. That means finally dyeing."

A low chuckle left Koh's mouth. "You really are missing the point."

"I don't think I am, and I can prove it. Maybe I want this all to end to. If you hit that mark, then you don't really want a real life. If you miss, you do."

"And you."

"If I stay here, then I want to die. For it to be over. If I move out the way, then I want to live, to fight."

Not even a second past before one of Koh's tentacles was sent towards Toph. It was impossible to tell where it was aiming at the speed it was traveling even for someone that could see. When it was just inches for making contact with her, Toph bent the earth under her feet to spring her into the air. Coming back down she landed on the tentacle that might have killed her. With her knees bent and her hands slightly in-front of her holding onto the tentacle, she realised that Koh hand hit the mark on the tree. He had tried to kill her. He wanted to live. So did she, she had moved out of the way.

"Looks like this isn't going to be settled so easily."

Taking in a deep breath she bent a ball of fire into the palm of her hand. Letting out the deep breath she bent a stream of air that grew the fire larger than she ever would have been able to do on her own and bent to towards Koh. Jumping back on the ground Toph stood glued to the spot. Her hands were clenched so tightly, she was digging into her palms causing them to bleed. Koh pushed himself up, stretched one of his tentacles out to Toph. He placed it under her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"You may think you are being selfless. Shutting yourself away to save people. But that's not the truth, is it. You are drawn to the danger, the power and the darkness that is buried deep in your heart. That is why you are here, to feel alive."

Toph closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and all that had been said to her. A second later her eyes flashed open, they were now not just deep green but glowing "Your right" The evil grin was now back on the old spirits face, Toph had one that matched it. "It's always been there in the back of my mind this power, trying to get out. Why should I keep it locked away, I could make more of a diff..."

"No!" another of Koh's tentacles wrapped it's self around Toph. Lifting her in too the air, as Koh pulled himself to his full height "That power cannot be used for good, like the avatars. The avatars power comes from the yang, and the fated spirits from the yin. The darkness of human nature. You have always been the darkness to his light. That is why you have been caged, your whole life. Let it out, all of that power, stop caging yourself."

His words weakened her resolve to remain controlled. It felt like he could see her more clearly than anyone else ever had in her whole live, even Aang. He saw her darkness. She had always known that the others were better people than her. They never stooped to the level of their enemies. She did, she bent their arms permanently, crushed them in the dirt and pushed them over the edge of their sanity.

In a quite gentle voice Koh continued "let it out, let it go."

In the back of her mind she was screaming at herself, not to be so stupid. If she let go of the hold she had on the power he would take it. She didn't know how he could do that, she just knew he would. She also knew that, she was a spirit whose power came from her bending. To lose her bending would kill her, but he got past her defences. In a split second the gate opened and her raw power was unleashed.

Koh was just a second way from getting what he had waited thousands of years for, but before he could take the power from Toph pain ran through his body. He was being pulled back through the portal to the spirit oasis. In a fraction of a second he was gone, and Toph was realised from his grip, sending her falling to the ground.

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**I am quite proud of this chapter. I know it could be a lot better. I hope you like it. I tried to use this as an opportunity to explain a few things that may not have been made clear before. I didn't know if I should have Toph bending, all of the element, but if there was to be real danger about the power than it had to be shown. I would like to know what you think about this. If you like it or hate it. I wasn't sure how to end this chapter. I hope I left it on a kind of cliff-hanger so you will want to keep reading. I look forward to hopefully hearing what you think. Thank you. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you so much for reading. I hope that you have liked the story. **

**Ayimsilentbunny. Thank you so much. That is such a nice thing to say. I was really worried that as it has taken so long then all the things that I had tried to set up wouldn't pay off.**

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She didn't know why but Toph found herself clenching her eyes shut as she started to fall. She didn't know if she was going to hit the ground or water. In a way she didn't care, a smile crossed her face. It was the mystery that made it dangerous and exciting. In the end she didn't hit either. A strong pair of arms caught her just as she was about to hit the ground. Only once she found herself lowered onto the ground she forced herself to knell on her own facing Aang did she open her eyes. Aang looked her in the eyes, they were now the deep green colour he had seen them before.

"Making a habit of this aren't you twinkles."

The voice that came out of her month didn't seem to belong to her. A part of him wanted to get to his feet, and drag her away from this place, but his body wouldn't move. So they stayed knelling on the wet ground facing each other. In the back of her mind Toph was so glad that, again Aang had swooped in at the right moment to save her, the rest of her was annoyed with him and she didn't understand why. He was still not saying anything, he was just staring at her eyes.

"I understand why you like to show off that marble trick, so much." A little laugh left her month as the memory of that power, how strong she had felt returned to her.

"You...can bend air." It was more a statement than a question.

In response Toph laughed even more, the power was staring to wash over her again. It was different this time, it was coming up faster than before, and stronger. A second later Toph let out a scream, as she placed her hand to her head.

"Toph. Toph!"

It seemed to be happening again, just like in the fort. Her eyes where shut, so he couldn't see if they were glowing again. When he was finally able to move again, he placed his hands on her shoulder. Her body was giving off the same heart it had before, but he didn't care.

"Toph, you need to calm down...just breath. It will be ok." Her head shock a little at his comment. "Trust me." Removing a hand from her shoulder, he pulled her right one from her head, placing it over his heart. "Trust me. Try and breath at the same time as I do" he felt her hand shacking as she tried to do as he said. "Focus on me, my heartbeat."

She concentrated on each breath he took, feeling his chest rise and fall under her touch. Then once she had its rhythm she began to take control of hers. Trying to make it match his. After a few seconds she felt her heartbeat steady to a slightly less rhythm. Slowly Toph opened her eyes, she was still holding her head with her other hand, but she moved it up to face him.

"What did...you ...do." It took a lot of effort for her to speak, as she concentrated on her breathing and pushing the energy down, so it wouldn't take over again.

"What are you talking about...Toph talk to me."

Toph had dropped her head again. The air around them seemed to be picking up speed, the leafs started to circle them. She had lost focus, control.

"This place...was connected to the spirit world...that's why I was ...here...now I can't..."

She never finished what she was saying, she was interrupted by a sharp shot of pain that ran through her head, and ran down her spine. Aang pulled her close to him. Her head was buried in his robe. Her hands were both now back on her head, she bit her lip trying not to scream. When she couldn't hold it in any longer, she let out a scream of pain. Her hand's fell from her head resting against Aang's chest.

In the silence that followed Aang came to understand what had really happened. Toph hadn't run away to face Koh on her own, she had run away to stop herself from losing control of her power, and hurting anyone else. He had closed the portal between the swamp and the spirit oasis when he got here. He thought that was the right thing to do. The swamp was no longer connected to the spirit world. That meant that Koh had no power here. He couldn't hurt her. The swamp had contained her power, stopped it from reaching the real world, now there was no barrier, if she lost control again there was no telling how much damage could be done. The energy coming from her was so much stronger this time.

Through her clenched eyes a tear slid down Toph's check, and soaked into Aang's robe. The air around them was moving much fasted now. The water and grass of the swamp were all most uprooted. Aang noticed that a faint green light had clouded over the swamp, it was now getting darker. Like the blue light that he emanated when he entered the avatar state, Toph was now giving of a green one. Slowly they began to rise into the air, still on their knees.

"Toph, you have to push it back. Listen to me concentrate on my voice." He was taking right into her ear, but he was still shouting to be heard.

"I can't."

"Yes you can, you can do this To..."

"I am not strong enough, please Aang...you have to take away me bending." Toph had now gained enough control to push herself back, to face Aang as she spoke.

There was no way that she could know what the consequences of doing what she had just asked would be for her or she would never have asked him to do that. Toph was a reincarnation, a spirit like him. Her power, her life energy came from her bending, to lose her bending would be losing her very essence. It would kill her.

Her hand where now clinging on to his robe. Her grip was to tight her knuckles where white. Her large deep green eyes, where looking right into his, the traces from her tear was still visible.

"No, I can't, it would..."

Toph moved her head closer to his, resting her head on his shoulder. She whispered into his ear. "Please kill me."

She knew. That didn't change anything, his first priority was meant to be for the balance of the world, but if he lost Toph. He could even image that, he would lose his balance, his reason to protect the world, then what kind of an avatar would he be. He couldn't do it without her.

"NO!"

As she let out one last scream, and the energy started to escape from her, Aang place his right hand on the back of Toph's head pulling it closed to him. Her head again was resting on his chest, buried in his robe, as the green light clouded Aang's vision before everything turned white.

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**Thank you for reading. It was Aang that screamed no, at the end I just thought I would make that clear. This is the penultimate chapter, the next one will be the last one. I plan to have it up-dated by the end of the week. **


	20. Chapter 20

**This is the last chapter in this story and I hope that you will like it. Thank you for reading.**

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All around them was white. It was so bright that it hurt Aang's eyes. Forcing him to have to sequent through them. He seemed to now be kneeling in space. Toph was resting in his arms. Her eyes remained closed, and the only movement that she made was breathing. After all that had happened, she looked peacefully.

"What is going to happen now." Aang didn't have to look up to now that they had been joined by Roku.

"Nothing."

Aang slowly pulled his eyes off of Toph to look at his past life. Roku's face gave nothing away of the emotion that he was feeling now. Out of the corner of his eye thou Aang could tell he was watching Toph. She reminded the old avatar of Ta Min. They looked so much alike. Her hair was almost the same colour and her features were almost identical. Soft, but striking at the same time. It was very hard to ignore a combination like that.

"Nothing!" Aang repeated his voice was much louder than his past lives. "After all of that, nothing." He pulled Toph closer, burying her head back in his robe.

A faint smile crossed the older man's face. "That is correct. There is nothing that has to happen next. Except for you to live your life as the avatar."

"What about Toph."

"You couldn't live your life without her could you." There was no point in Roku waiting for an answer to his question. He already knew the answer. "The last chakra gate has been closed. When she offered to give up her life, she did that to protect her earthy attachments not give up on them. That blocked the last gate sealing her power. You refused to give up on her, that was the strength that she need to fight the power from taking over. As a whole you two were able to control the most destructive force in the world."

The whole time Roku had been speaking, Aang had never taken his eyes off Toph, but he had taken in every word that had been said. He lowered his head, and pulled her head up so he could kiss her forehead. A faint smile of pride creeping slowly across his face.

"What about Koh."

"He is no danger to you or the fate..."

"Toph her name is Toph!"

He hadn't meant to snap at Roku like that, but it was starting to get to him that he would never refer to Toph by her name. It was only after his outburst that he understood why he never said her name, maybe to refer to her by any name was like admitting that she wasn't Ta Min any more, she wasn't his anymore. He thought of all the years that he had gone without seeing her. He wondered how he would cope with that, when his time came. As he knew all to well that it would.

"Sorry."

Roku accepted the apology with a gentle nod of his head and a smile. "At this time there is no remaining threat to Toph or you. Her power can still be unlocked, but only by opening the last chakra gate." Roku paused, as again Aang lowered his head to look at Toph. The look of worry in his face was clear to see. "To open that gate, she would have to disconnect from all that keeps her bound to this world. You, your friends. She is also an earthbender above all else. She would never willing leave the earth. There is too much keeping her in the world."

A faint smile crossed the younger avatars face as he nod gently and he pulled Toph closed to him. He closed his eyes as he concentrated on her heartbeat next to his. Still in perfect time with each other. When he opened his eyes they were back in the swamp in the same position they had been in, in the spirit world. The cold wind blew through the trees, as Aang lifter the still unconscious Toph off the ground. He pulled her as close to him as he could to keep her warm.

He cared her out of the swamp and to the nearest village. Luckily there was a healer there, that he had look over Toph. The healer told him that Toph was fine, just very tired and needed to rest. She also told him something that he had not been expecting. He left Toph to rest in the healer's house, as he went for a walk to clear his head. He found himself drawn to sit under a cherry blossom tree. He had just sat down when his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, as the sun was starting to rise he slowly opened his eyes. To see Toph standing in front of him, she was wearing a white night dress, and the sun was setting right behind her. She looked like a vision like she wasn't real.

"It's really me."

She seemed to be reading his mind. A smile crossed her face as her wondering eyes meet his. They were still the deep green that he saw before. Aang found he had to blink, to keep his own eyes from hurting as he adjusted to the new brightness in her eyes. He would miss her unique jade coloured eyes. He felt a little possessive about them. As he believed that he had been the only person to have looked close enough into her eyes to see the small flashes of bright green. Now the whole world would see it.

"You should be resting." Toph let out a quite laugh as she pushed back her hair behind her ear as the wind picked up.

"The truth is...I can't sleep without you next to me. Your heart beating next to mine." It was now Aang's turn to let out a laugh. Letting herself fall to her knees at Aang's side Toph continued. "Now I can ask you a question."

This was a game that they had played when they had slept under the stars at their second wedding. Toph used to play it as a child with her maid. You told a secret then were able to ask a question that had to be answered honestly.

"What happened." Her voice still had an air of humour to it, but also more stern than before. She wanted an answer.

Taking her hand in his, and still trying not to look her in her new deep green eyes he answered her "Nothing. We can just get back to our lives."

"Aang." Her tone had now lost its humour, and she had called him Aang.

"You closed the last gate. You have too much keeping you here. Giving up on your earthy attachments, isn't really you. There is no threat anymore."

He expected her to ask more question, but she remained silent. The look on her face let him now that she was deep thought. She would know that he was telling the truth, but she still had a lot to take in, and there was still more to tell her. Much more that couldn't just be pushed aside.

"Ok your turn, tell me a secret." The full power of Toph's bright sightless eyes now hit him. There was no way he would ever be able to say no to her again. Not that he had really been able to before.

He held her hand a little tighter. "You're pregnant."

She was silent again for a second. As she took in what was she had just been told. "This has to be the first time in history that a husband has been able to tell his wife that she is pregnant." She was trying to make a joke of it all, but he knew that she must be scared.

"I had a feeling, when I woke up...I felt like I did when...the last time." She could feel Aang's head fall to face the ground. She gave his hand a squeeze "I just have this feeling that it is going to be ok this time."

The faintest grimmer of a smile crossed Aang's face as he lifted it. He pulled her into a hug, her head rested on his shoulder. Toph's hands griped onto his rope. She had lied again. She didn't have a feeling that it was going to be alright. She didn't have any really feeling right now, she was numb. She had lied because she needed him to believe it, to make it easier for the both of them.

"So can I ask you a question now." Aang was whispering into her ear. She gave a gentle nod as an answer. "How do you feel about it, really."

They slowly pulled apart, as Toph thought of her answer. Forcing herself to feel something, anything she found an answer. "Scared." Again she felt disappointment and worry take over Aang. "But good scared. Like when I started to earthbend, or when I left with you and the others. When we got married, when I realised I was in love with you."

Running his hand through her hair, he pulled her into him to kiss her. Once they pulled apart they rested on each other's foreheads.

"I have never felt so weak, and yet so strong. I feel more connected to the earth than I ever thought was possible, and everything else. I know more than I ever realised there was to know. But I am so scared of something so simple." As she had been speaking, she slowly pulled her head back from his. "We keep pushing each other, and I am scared that we will get to the point that we push each other too far. Then there will be no going back."

Aang placed his hands on either side of her face, so he could look her in the eyes. "That isn't going to happen. I won't let it."

"How are you going to..."

"Let's get married again." It was the conviction in what he said that made Toph Smile.

"I think getting married twice to the same person is the limit." She let out a faint laugh. "Is that your answer for everything anyway."

Aang's hands slid down from her face, the right took hold of the pendant she wore. It was made of the most important thing she owned, and one of the only things he owned. "I avatar Aang, promise that I will never run away from any problem that we face. We are stronger together than we are apart. I will try and see things from your point of view more. I will always love you. In this world and in the next. I take you as my wife now, as an adult."

He didn't have to explain she understood. When they were married the first time it was a way to keep her freedom, it was the start of their relationship. It was like saying that they were committed to making this new relationship work. The second time, was because they loved each other, it was for love pure and simple. Now it was about them being adults. A new chapter in their relationship. No more mistakes.

"I Toph, formally Bei Fong still heir to their fortune. Grand master Earthbender, general, ambassador. Princess of the fire nation, and witch of the east promise, I will talk to you when I get angry at you. That I won't feel like I have to do everything on my own. I love you, and I still want you as my husband." As she spoke she had taken hold of the Tag Aang wore, that was the same as the pendant she wore. Aang couldn't help but laugh, as she named all of her tittles. The ones she remembered at least.

They consummated their new stage of marriage with a kiss. Then Aang pulled Toph to his side, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, as she rested her head on his. "So what do you think would be a good name."

"It's a little early for that isn't it."

"Maybe."

"What were you thinking of." Her curiosity got the better of her and it was clear Aang had an idea he wanted to share.

"If it's a girl Coda."

Toph thought it over. "It's pretty, but I want them to have a name that means something. Like we do, peacefully soaring, and supported lotus. They link us to our elements, and you are the most peaceful person I know."

"And you are a great support to a lot of people." Aang kissed the top of her head. "Ok let's leave it for now. I like your hair."

"Shut up." Toph placed her hand over his mouth to get him to be quite, it didn't work he kept trying to talk louder.

They stayed under the tree till Toph feel asleep, and Aang carried her back to the house they were staying in. The sun was now at its height, but when Aang's head touched the pillow he fell asleep.

* * *

**The hair comment was because she cut it a few chapters ago, and he is trying to change the subject. I just thought I would make that a bit clearer. The reason that Toph still knows so much about the world, it because she is the fated spirit, they have an understanding of the balance of the world. Now that she is aware of that she is more aware of the balance, and the spirit world. She still can't go to the spirit world on her own or bend any element other than earth. Sorry if this seems patronising. I just don't trust how well I write to explain this stuff. It is a comment on my writing skill, not on any reader's ability to understand the story. **

**I would like to ask for help in writing the next part of the story, part 19. I plan to have the first chapter of this up by the need of next week. I would like to ask you for ideas. The story will be about Toph's pregnancy. As I have no idea about this I need help. Any little ideas about things that could make up a chapter on this subject would be great. As it is going to be the last major part of the story, there for last chance to address certain things. I would like to ask if there is anything that you feel I have not fully addressed or explained in this story that should be done by the end of the story. Also any characters that you would like to see. **

**I hopefully look forwards to reading your comments and ideas. I really need them. Thank you. **


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